


In Love with the Madness

by Aves_004



Series: The Jester and the Queen [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DC Cinematic Universe, DCU, DCU (Comics), Suicide Squad (2016), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Action & Romance, Angst, Blood and Violence, Bondage, Character Death, Consensual Kink, Dubious Consent, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Torture, Love, Psychological Drama, Resolved Sexual Tension, Rough Sex, Secret Identity, Sexual Tension, Shameless Smut, Slow Burn, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-03-08 10:47:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 26,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13456620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aves_004/pseuds/Aves_004
Summary: She was erased from this world because of the deep price she had to pay for loving a madman. A love that could have destroyed the world but one that also almost gave two damaged souls back their sanity. She loved him and he loved her, but good love stories are never that simple. This is the story of the Queen who fell for the Jester and the chaos that occurred because of it...





	1. Electric Green Eyes

It was near midnight and she was sneaking into a facility that she owned. Her private jet had flown into the city a day ahead of schedule so she could take the board of directors by surprise. She had came back to Gotham to clean house and to do so, she needed dirt.

The security was a little lax for her tastes but that did make the firewall ridiculously easy to hack. She knew that was one of the many things that needed to be fixed right after she gets rid of the rats that infested her predecessor's board. She had found out some of them had dipped into the company's pockets, along with other crimes such as allegations of money-laundering, illegal weapons sales, and the whole debacle with Ace Chemicals, which was purchased from Kain Chemicals, that occurred almost a decade ago.

Her father had recently died and that left the eighteen-year old heir to a multi-billion dollar conglomerate; Crowne Trust. Not to say, he was much of a father. After her mother died when she was nine, he had turned to drink and to whores, sending her off to boarding school in Europe as he ran the conglomerate to the ground. And that began her down a path to the darkness and a trauma that can never heal completely.

Her past did, however, make breaking and entering child's play though. The plan was to sneak in and out downloading the encrypted files containing all of the illegal deals made within the company and then delete the security tapes, leaving without a trace. But you know what they say about the best laid plans...

She had evaded all of the silent alarms and was in the server room downloading the contents when she heard a massive crash and the system go off. Before she could go to see what was going on, a man in a strange Venetian carnival mask had walked in with an AK-47.

He must have been shocked to see a girl there, leather clad in a kevlar infused corset top with a matching pair of pants, wearing a mask covering the lower half of her face. Despite hoping not to be seen, she knew to take precautions- such as bringing her throwing knives and making sure she kept her face covered with a mask and hood.

Grinning to herself, she knew wearing her personalized League uniform would come in handy. The young woman had caught him off guard and quickly disarmed the man knocking him out as another alarm began to blare. As she slipped the flash drive into her weapons belt, she raced to where the noise was coming from, the experimental research lab.

As she ran in her thigh high boots, she hoped she could make it in time...

She pushed more goons out of the way, taking down four more men before entering the main lab. When she entered her eyes met his first as she heard his one of a kind laugh. Electric green eyes met stormy blue ones for a few seconds before the chaos continued.

It turned out that the Joker was planning on stealing some chemicals from the facility and happened upon an experimental reactor in the works by the Crowne technicians and decided he wanted it. But due to his lack of tact and flair for the spotlight he purposely tripped the alarms to see if the Bat would show his face.

But instead, the Boy Wonder had shown up to try to hold him off as the Dark Knight was out of town and unable to make it. He had been toying with him and was about to put a bullet in his brain when something interesting peaked his attention.

The self-declared King of Gotham had watched as a mystery woman taken down some of his boys single-handedly. He could tell she was petite even with her heeled boots on as he watched her beat his crew into a pulp.

She was probably 5'4 no 5'2 and by the way she moved, the Joker knew she was ruthless but what intrigued him even more was that fact that he could tell she was holding back. As she finished off the rest of the guys left standing, she looked him straight into the eyes, unwavering. Joker smiled, he knew tonight was going to be an interesting night.

He pushed the Boy Blunder aside and began to walk towards her but she had her focuses elsewhere. As the Joker got closer, he noticed that she was young and past the hood she had dark ebony hair. The mystery woman ran toward the computers, typing furiously to trying to stop the overload he set off. With his penchant for chaos, he had ensured that the whole place would blow sky-high and made sure there was no override.

Joker laughed as he brushed his bright green hair away from his face and spoke, "Oh, I wouldn't waste your time sweetheart. I made sure this whole place is going to burn."

The masked female glared at him sharply.

They were now face to face, and she was close enough to see that small "J" tattoo he had under his eye and his red lips, the color of crimson. He was wearing a maroon shirt that was only half buttoned and dress pants with black oxfords.

His physique was impressive and the tattoos only made him more so. But what really had got to her were his eyes, not because of the obvious unusual color but the sadness in them. It was well hidden but the pain and loneliness were clear to her. After all they were there in her eyes as well. He stopped for a moment and stared, there was something about her that stuck a cord with him.

Before he could do anything though, the two of them had heard a shape click. They looked down- the two of them where handcuffed together.

By Robin.

She was considering killing him and so did the Joker, though his thoughts were a lot more serious than hers. The woman, however, had bigger problems to deal with. The countdown was starting and she was down a hand, thanks to the vigilante. So she had to think fast.

Before Robin or Joker could react, she had grabbed Robin.

"You brought this on yourself, Bird brain."

The young woman stated in a strangely melodic voice and pushed him out the window. They were on the fifth story so he should be fine, but now she had to deal with the other issue. The Joker.

Thankfully, the hired muscle she had put in their place had high-tailed it out of there and ran for it when it became obvious the place was going to go up in flames, so now the only people left were the Joker and her.

He was still laughing at the fact that she pushed Robin out the window and they now had seconds left. So she quickly grabbed his hand that was handcuffed to hers and jumped out the broken window as the explosion blasted them further out of the building.

She groaned as her eyes focused to see him underneath her.

The woman had landed on top of the Joker and he had his hands wrapped around her waist with an irritating smirk on his face. Her hood had fallen off and her ebony hair was loose due to the blast. She was shocked to find him, a man considered one of the most dangerous people on the planet, lightly brush her hair away from her face. She looked into his eyes again and saw it more prominently; that deep pit of sadness and pain.

Their faces barely a few centimeters away and the Joker's arms still around her hips.

As they stared into each other's eyes, they saw the other's pain which a clarity that shook them both to their cores...


	2. A New Vigilante in Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picks off seconds after the end of Chapter 1. Read further to find out what happens next.

She was still aching from the shockwave that threw them out of the building when she heard the Gotham City Police sirens surrounding them. Robin was up but didn't look any better than she did. Her left hand was still cuffed to the pale madman with the sad eyes so pulled herself, trying to get out from his grasp to get to work on the handcuffs. She pulled out her lock picks and quickly unfastened the cuffs, all while the Joker looked on with an amused look on his face and his left hand still on her hip. Too busy with undoing the restraints, she failed to notice his hand holding onto her right hip.

As soon as she got loose, the cops had surrounded them.

"GCPD, put your hands up!" the officers yelled, guns ready to fire lead into them. The girl sighed. Great; less than twelve hours in Gotham and she's already being affiliated with the Joker, not to mention picking fights with the Boy Blunder. All she wanted was the files to her own fucking company and this is the trouble she gets into. Only in Gotham.

As the cops went charging after them, she threw a smoke bomb straight onto the ground and quickly used her grappling hook to get away from the scene. Bullets were being fired into the air, all of them missing her as she got away. She landed onto a nearby rooftop where she could still see the scene but was far enough away where the cops and Robin couldn't see her. In the chaos, the Joker had gotten away too, but some of his goons who were stupid enough to stay behind had gotten arrested and were probably off to Blackgate. Everything happened so fast and now she's going to have to deal with a major PR nightmare tomorrow.

Robin was getting his wounds checked, luckily (due to her quick thinking) he only got off with a few cuts and bruises. She saw he was talking to the cops, explaining what happened in the facility. She couldn't see what they were saying, she didn't think she needed to bring binoculars to what she though was going to be a simple extraction of files from the mainframe. But despite not being able to hear what they were saying she stayed to make sure they weren't coming for her and to see what was going on. She needed to make sure that none of the cops had known what she was doing there, who she was, or where she was. Reading their body language, she knew that they were confused and had thought she disappeared, which was a safe assumption. They thought she was a criminal and no sane criminal would stay at the scene of the crime. But she was not a criminal and her sanity...well that was up for debate.

Beneath the roof, she was observing from, Robin was being patched up by the medical technicians that arrived to pick up some of the criminals who had made it out but were still beaten to a pulp by either himself or that mystery woman. Commissioner Gordon had walked up to talk to him as they finished up, but Robin was still out of it from the explosion. The kid detective was trying to analyze what happened right before when Gordon had asked a question, Dick didn't hear him. Partially due to the ringing in his ear and also because of the fact he was still thinking about that masked women, trying to figure out how she fit in.

"Sorry, commish. What did you say? Tinnitus." Robin said laughing it off.

The weary, middle aged former detective sighed and repeated himself.

"You alright kid?"

The boy wonder nodded and responded with a grin; trying to mask his pain.

"Yeah, what's a fall from a five story window right before the building you were in explodes..."

"What happened in there? Did the Joker push you out and where's Batman?" 

Robin sighs, feeling the adrenaline wear off and his bruised ribs start to hurt more.

"No, the Joker wasn't the one who pushed me out before the place went up in flames. Batman's off on another mission that required him to leave the city so I got the alert when Joker had broken in here. That woman he was handcuffed to was also here...but for a different reason. She was the one who pushed me out of the building before the facility blew. At first I though she was an accomplice or something, but now I'm not sure. I think she was trying to stop to reactor from going off but I didn't know until after I cuffed her to Joker. I most likely prevented her from actually stopping it..."

Gordon furrowed his brows and took a deep breath.

"You couldn't have know kid. But did you recognize who she was? Why she was there?"

Robin shook his head, "Not a clue, she's not likely been in Gotham long. If she was, I would've recognized her, she's not the the type of person you could forget. But I know for a fact, she's definitely not part of any low level crew. She was highly trained and knew how to hack from what I saw her doing to try to stop the overload. I'll talk to Batman and look into it."

The commissioner nodded, "All right kid, get some rest and contact me if you find anything."

When he turned around, Robin was already gone. Shaking his head, Gordon continued overseeing the scene and found a stray throwing knife on the ground. It was made completely out of a hard steel alloy and without any embellishments except for a small hole on the bottom of the handle in the shape of a bird taking flight. He told CSI to mark it down before he took a handkerchief to look at it more closely.

A crowd was beginning to gather to see what happened. News crews and photographers were racing over to get the scoop. Apparently no one sleeps in Gotham, especially when there's a new player in town. The masked girl sighed and ran her gloved fingers through her hair as she fixed the hood over it. She began to leave the scene and Her first night and she was already notorious...

When she made it back to her suite over the rooftops, she shed her gloves, boots, and her cropped jacket as she reached for her laptop. As much as she wanted to take a shower to wash the blast residue off her body, she needed to see if the files were damaged or corrupted before anything else. The young Crowne knew that at tomorrow's meeting she was entering the lion's den and she needed ammunition to put them down. As she checked through the files, which were all she needed to fire those lecherous white-collar criminals, her mind kept wandering to what happened earlier tonight. More specifically to the Joker. 

Even in Europe and her travels around the continent, stories from Gotham and even Metropolis were always in the papers and on the news. She obviously knew of the clown prince of crime and knew how dangerous he was but when she met him, she was met with someone she couldn't place. There was a familiarity to him, that she could not pinpoint and an electricity she felt when she was with him. This made him more dangerous than she already perceived him to be and that worried her.

With any luck, their meeting was a one time thing. That's what she wanted, it would be the smart thing to hope for. Only a madwoman would want to see him again, but why did she feel sad at the fact that might not. When she finished looking over the files, she poured herself a large glass of the nearest liquor she could get her hands on and took a large sip. Bourbon; not her favorite but desperate times. 

She turned on the flatscreen in the living room and switched to a news channel to find herself being the main story.

"Local authorities arrived at the scene of one of Crowne Trust's research facilities on fire due to an explosion to find the notorious Joker and Gotham's own Robin at the scene. But the two were not the only ones on the scene, a mystery masked female vigilante was also there. Descriptions of what had occurred described the woman to be the connected to the Joker and possibly to our very own caped crusader. Police reports shown that the only thing left of this mysterious new possible heroine was a throwing knife that had a small bird carved into the handle, earning her the codename Aves. After the latin word for bird-"

She gulped down her second glass of bourbon as she walked away from the tv and into the bathroom to shower. She needed to wash tonight away, if that was even possible. As she stripped off her clothes she groaned, not because of the pain but because of the news report. Great, Aves. Suppose that's fitting and now Gotham apparently has itself a new vigilante in town.

-

Across town, Joker was heading to one of his safe houses to hole out from the cops for a while. As much as he enjoyed his stints in Arkham like he enjoyed getting electrocuted in the crotch, he had other matters on his mind that needed him to be out and about. Jonny Frost, who was in the front of the car driving, looked in the mirror to see his boss staring out the window. He knew whenever Mr. J got that quiet something really crazy was going to happen. 

Joker was still thinking about her, that masked woman. She was young, he could tell by her eyes but there was something else there behind the youth. And her body was definitely not that of a child. When she was on top of him, he was ready to drag her to the nearest bed and have his way with her then and there. But J knew that she wasn't going to be just a regular hookup if he got his hand on her. She would be so much more. 

The way she took down his crew was exquisite, the ruthlessness hiding beneath the surface just waiting to get out. He felt himself getting turned on from the moment he laid eyes on her. And the fact that she saved him, he knew she could've gotten out of those restraints and left him there, but she didn't. Why? He started to laugh, worrying Frost, as the green haired man continued looking out the window. He thought back to the girl- picturing her again. Seeing her opened mouth with her body underneath him as she screamed his name...

The Joker knew he had to find her again.


	3. Premonitions and Reoccurrence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reality is a difficult thing to discern, especially when one had gone through two decanters of hard liquor with no chasers... How can one experience something that hadn't happened to them before?

She was standing by the massive window of the master bedroom, looking over the city skyline. They had gone away from the city, far enough away to be alone but still close enough to be able to get back if they have to. Her long black hair was loose and as she watched the sunset, she felt him come behind her and wrap his arms around her waist. He rested his chin on her left shoulder and she felt his mouth form a grin. She absentmindedly began to stroke his hair as his grip began to get tighter. A content smile had formed on her lips as she continued to stare out into the world.

"You know what happens when you do that to me." he growled into my ear.

He had spun the woman around and she was then face to face with him now. The raven-haired woman laughed lightly as her eyes met his and she smiled with a joy she hadn't felt in years. He smiled that wide grin of his that made people melt at his feet and spoke in a low voice, dripping with lust. 

"God, I love your laugh."

Her lips met his and pulled him closer by his unbuttoned shirt and he moaned as her hands began to wander his toned body. The battle for dominance had begun but she had willingly conceded to his lust-filled kisses as his lips began to press harder onto hers. As she undid the rest of his buttons and traced the tattoos on his chest and abdomen. 

She couldn't see them clearly; her vision was blurred but she knew his body all too well. They've been sharing a bed for some time now and the two of them couldn't keep their hands away from one another. But their relationship was not one just of flesh and desire, it truly was the marriage of true minds. He saw her when no one else could see the pain behind the mask, just as she saw his agony behind the smile he always wore.

Not breaking away from the kiss, he unzipped the back of her white shift dress. The ensemble was only held together by the thinnest straps that left enough bare to make anyone turn to stare and hope to see more. He had told her earlier that day how beautiful she was in it, but he enjoyed seeing the dress drop to the floor more. He grinned when he found her only wearing a pair of black lace underwear because the dress didn't allow for a bra to be worn underneath.

He lifted her up to carry her into the bedroom and the sudden movement had caused her to gasp, opening her mouth for his tongue to explore inside. The noises that slipped out of her mouth only caused him to grip her harder and want her more. Her legs wrapped around his waist instinctively and she could feel his yearning for her as she pressed against him.

They were completely alone upstairs in the manor, he had sent everyone away so he could have her all to himself. She was his addiction and he was the only thing in this universe that made her feel alive. No one was stupid enough to interrupt the two of them. It was up in the air who was more frightening, either of the pair of lovers would have put a bullet or slit the throat of anyone who would dare enter.

She was his salve and he was her comfort- the pleasure they had when together made everything else background noise. In that moment, all she could focus on was him; his electric touch. He had placed her on their large feather bed as she fell back onto silk sheets. She needed him; not breaking away from the kiss, her hands began to undo his belt and unzip his suit pants. His clothes soon joined hers on the mahogany floors of their bedroom. The room was only illuminated by the fireplace on the other side of the room-further causing the couple to only focus on what was in front of them; each other. 

He slid off her lingerie with his maddening touch, her back arched up causing her breasts to rub against his chest. To get back at her for teasing, he licked his fingers and drove on of them into her center. She gasped and began to hold onto his broad shoulders. He punished her with pleasure when he knew she wanted him; she was already soaking. She looked up at him, panting as she tried to catch her breath.

"Please, just take me."

He smiled a cheshire grin, despite wanting to give her exactly what she wanted, the man enjoyed to tease her. But he was just desperate for her as she was for him.

"Take you? What do you mean?" he said in a low voice as he added another finger to her heat and plunged deeper into her. She made the most wanton noises that drove him closer to the edge of what little control he had left. 

"Please..." Her voice whispered while he brought the girl to the brink. She didn't want to beg but her need for him inside him was becoming to much.

He smiled darkly, "I've barely touched you and you're already drenched." She moaned 

One look from her in that state, innocent eyes filled with lust, caused him to skip any further plans of foreplay. He groaned as he clenched his jaw to prevent him from cumming on her thighs right then and there like a adolescent schoolboy.

"That's enough games for now..." he whispered into her ear.

He grasped her hips with a vice grip she knew would leave bruises and pulled her in to position himself toward her entrance. He roughly thrust his cock into her to the hilt making her gasp at the suddenness of being filled by him completely. Despite the countless times they've done this, in a multitude of ways, her petite body still wasn't accustomed to taking in such a large length. But he felt amazing, pleasure enveloped her to the point of delirium. Despite her wishes for him to take her immediately, her lover had made sure that she would be ready to accommodate to him. He didn't want to cause her pain, except when she asked him to. He was happily surprised to find out that she liked it rough. 

He felt her walls tighten around her as he plunged into her over and over again, she whispered for him not to stop as she wrapped her lithe legs tighter around him. This had allowed him go deeper into her, sliding in and out of her. He groaned, despite taking her himself months ago, she was still so tight. He began to play with her breasts, adding additional stimulation to what was overwhelming her. His pace was unrelenting and unwavering, causing her waves of carnal bliss. She felt so dirty for letting him have his way with her so roughly but she didn't care. He was hers and she was in bliss, despite knowing that she won't be feeling her legs for some time. 

As he fucked her, her nails began to scratch his back as she tried to hold onto him- he had hit a point within her that sent her over the edge. He brought her face up to his and placed his lips against her soft pink lips. She began to make the sweetest noises as his tongue slid into her mouth. As she was about to find release everything faded away from her grasp. He disappeared from her touch and her eyes opened to find him gone.

The young Crowne groaned out of frustration; another dream haunting her with a man she couldn't recognize. His appearance was completely unclear to her. Whenever she wakes up from the dreams, she is unable to remember what he looked like except that he is taller than her and well-built. 

She's been in Gotham for a week now and ever since that night at the research facility, her dreams have been invaded by a stranger. She would've have brushed them off as just sexual frustration but she has never been intimate in that way ever and the dreams...felt so real. Impossibly real. At first she blamed the bourbon but whatever liquor she drinks, she ends up still dreaming of a stranger and she knows it's always the same guy. She even stopped drinking all together one night to see if they would stop but that did nothing.

They felt so real too, as if she's experiencing memories. But that's impossible- after all how can one have memories of something that they never experienced?


	4. Strange Meetings and Stipulations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meetings are made as our protagonist continues her new routine. Some with old faces, others by chance with strangers.

She woke up to her phone's alarm; it read 6:00 a.m. The eighteen-year old had only gotten four hours of sleep on a bed that still felt unfamiliar to her. After all, this place was just another property owned by her predecessor and now by her, but it was not her home. She hadn't stepped foot in this place until her return to Gotham a week ago. The walls were still bare and the rooms without ornament or pictures.

Her belongings were still in boxes, except for her gear and some of her clothes and shoes. It could be said that she just didn't have the time but honestly it wasn't home to her and no false comforts were going to change that.

The former Crowne Manor that she lived in until she was nine had burned down in an accidental fire and taken her mother from her. And soon after her father as well. He was still alive, of course, but he was a shell of his former self- taking to drugs and drink while spending his time and money on whores. She was left alone to mourn her mother in a Europe, shipped away to boarding school right after the funeral.

Her father never rebuilt the estate due to the memories they had there, afraid that the ghosts of happier times would haunt him, he opted to living in summer townhouse in the heart of Gotham. The young Crowne now owned the properties and the land of where the former great house stood but in it's place was a blackened skeleton charred and desolate. It now just showed a broken past that seemed so long ago, a dream that has faded and turned to ash. It was the last place she truly felt like a child.

She had made coffee and began to skim through the daily papers to see the current events when she heard a knock at her door.

"Come in!" she said casually at the island, sipping her coffee.

She knew the person behind the door was her personal assistant; Ashley Carter. She had met the twenty-two year old in the London branch of Crowne Trust and had taken her on to be her assistant during when she returned to take over the business. Ashley was a tall, beautiful Brit with caramel skin and long brown hair. She had a kind smile and an even kinder soul.

Crowne had found her very capable but poorly undervalued by her last employer who was a haughty, incompetent head in middle management who looked at the young business woman with eyes that she wanted to gouge. So when she observed her talent and abilities being wasted in the drab London office, she offered Ashley a high-paying position in Gotham to take care of her business schedule. Ashley was taken by surprise but had gladly and happily accepted.

She had been ecstatic for the opportunity and turned out to be the only one brave enough and deemed competent enough to offered the position. Even before her surprise arrival into Gotham, everyone seemed somewhat afraid of her. But Ashley took to her new boss quite well, her salary was generous, the moving costs were covered by the company and despite the reputation she garnered the young woman who became head of a multi-billion dollar company was a kind person. though she dos try to hide it.

In the month of her father's death, the girl was able to turn the company completely around, stamping out corruption and increasing the stock value by triple. She was young, yes, but had a maturity to her that made her a force to be reckoned with. She was also a fair employer and completely different from the image that others perceived her to be.

Ashley came in, dressed in a taupe pencil skit and a white button up with light brown heels. She dressed fashionable but still work appropriate which was rare among assistants so young. Ashley taken off her heels and placed them on a shoe rack that was by the door for guests; it was an eastern practice that the girl was learned by her mother.

She smiled as she entered with papers to go over and the young Crowne's mail, which was mainly a large pile of invitations to different galas or openings to art shows and night clubs. Everyone wanted to meet the mysterious returning Gotham socialite, all of Gotham was vying for a chance to meet her in person.

The chipper assistant walked towards her employer and handed her the papers as she read the invitations to the still tired employer who was reading the contracts and insurance claims for the research facility that had been destroyed. Signing the papers, Ashley began to tell the young corporate titan her schedule for the day.

The raven-haired girl was finished with the contacts and was now looking over the newspapers. They were still printing headlines about the new "vigilante" Aves and her possible connections with the Joker and Batman. The whole city had found a new obsession.

Not that it was all about her unintentional alter ego, Crowne herself was making headlines over her succession to take over Crowne Trust. They were both commending her ability and talent while also questioning her ability due to her youth and her sex. Her beauty did aid in her gaining respect after all a beautiful woman with intelligence is a dangerous thing. Especially this particular one was even more so.

The papers were enthralled with both version of her. The girl ignored the articles on her, even the business journals were beginning to sound like gossip columns.

"Isn't rather amazing? A new female hero come to Gotham and make the world better?" Ashley said with a childlike wonder as she handed some of the invitations to her.

She looked over the letters and began to separate the ones she was considering going to from the ones that going in a rejection pile.

"Well, the papers don't seem to think she may be a hero, they're still labeling her a vigilante and a possible criminal." she said only half paying attention.

"I think she has to be a new hero, she did save Robin after all and even that scary chap, the Joker. And I read something about her take down some muggers earlier that night to save a woman from getting harmed. I think that's rather noble."

The girl just sipped her coffee silently as she read an invitation for a club opening. Thinking back to that night as she was heading downtown to get the files, she came across a woman getting dragged into an alleyway. She saw them on a rooftop she stopped at when she heard the scream.

She jumped down and taken down the three would be rapists, she had taken them by surprise and landed on the leader who was ready to force himself on the woman. She could have snapped his neck in an instant but held back and settled with breaking his arm and knocking him out. She quickly made work of the other two leaving them bloodied on the ground but still alive. She asked if the woman if she had a phone.

The disheveled but grateful blonde nodded quickly. As she took out her grappling hook she spoke, "Call the cops to pick up the trash and wait for them to take you to station. Don't worry, they won't be getting up and walking any time soon."

She should've been less conspicuous but she knew she couldn't have left the woman to be raped and killed so she made a split decision without thinking. She should have been more careful.

Changing the subject, she asked Ashley about a specific invitation to an anniversary party at club, one of her acquaintances she made in Russia said to find someone there .

"So what have you heard about this place? Anything worth going to?"

Ashley was surprised to find her interested in such an event. It was part of a sketchier part of the city, even a newcomer like her knew that, but she had also heard that that specific club was well known to be a hangout for the super rich and famous. Everyone from Bruce Wayne to visiting celebrities were known to have visited and partied there. She explained what she heard and was further shocked to find her being told to accept the invitation.

-

"So, RSVP yes for the Gotham City Public Library Charity Gala?” Ashley asked as she typed away on her tablet, confirming the dates of her appointments and other engagements. The two of them were walking out of the building and into a town car that was parked at a side entrance. Paparazzi were camped out in the front hoping to grab a few pictures of the returning Gothamite.

She was dressed for business, formal but still elegant, in a black YSL sleeveless body con dress that came to her just above her knees with a white long coat made of light fabric that flowed when she moved. She had finished the ensemble with a pair of six inch nude Louboutins and a silver watch with the rings she always had on. All expect one.

“Yes, I'll be going to the gala. I used to go with my mother as a child to it...This charity was important to her and it is helping the funding literacy programs for less fortunate kids in Gotham." she said as she checked her blue Chanel bag. She forgot it in the penthouse.

"Damn it, I left my phone in the apartment." She stopped the driver as he was about to pull away and stepped out of the car.

"Hey, you go ahead in the car. I have to go back for my phone, I'll meet you there." She said turning to back to enter the residential building.

"But it's 6 blocks away! And you're in heels..." Ashley said confused.

The girl brushed her off as she continued walking away from the town car.

"I'll be fine. A short walk never hurt anyone."

She raced upstairs to grab what she had forgotten, it was the family ring with the Crowne crest on it. She knew she didn't have to lie to Ashley about getting a simple piece of jewelry but she didn't want to be seen as someone that sentimental. To be seen as weak. It was more a lie to herself. Despite her loathing of that man, he was still her father and she still had his blood.

She used the walk to familiarize herself with the city again, remembering the streets and some of the stores that were still around. Things had changed, old stores had gone away while new ones taken over the bustling streets, which was to be expected. She had been gone for a decade and time never stands still.

-

The days had been filled with her going through the formal process of taking control of her family’s company, which had not gone without some complications. After all, there’s always push back when a young woman invades the domain of rich old men. The paperwork was nearly completed and her surprise arrival had caused a disrupt especially when she came in with personalized files on all of the corrupt members on her board.

The young successor had made her position abundantly clear when she immediately fired and even had nearly a fourth of her father’s former board arrested. Those who she allowed to stay on her board, though were far from innocent, were deemed loyal and understood she was not to be underestimated.

"So everything is in order? You men have been going through the will of my late father for quite some time now. One might even think you are trying to find a way to oust me from the board and force me to forfeit my majority shares." she said casually as she saw the group of corporate lawyers across from her visibly break a sweat.

"Of course not, Miss Crowne. It is unquestionable that the company has been firmly passed down to you." the main lawyer Brandon Hardwell quickly said as the others murmured in agreement.

"The will, however, had stipulated that for the complete transfer of power over to his daughter, by of course I mean you, must graduate from high school and acquire your diploma before becoming attaining the rest of the majority shares of Crowne Trusts and all of the subsidiaries that are attached to it. He wanted to make sure that, in the case of his early death, you would still have a normal childhood before taking on such responsibility..." the weary man said as if preparing himself for the worst.

"Childhood? My childhood was stripped away from me when my mother died. I was shipped off the continent so my 'father' could whore himself to an early grave. He left me to be taken-" She stopped herself before she said anymore, she made a mistake. The mask had slipped for a moment and they almost saw what was behind.

"The former CEO of Crowne Trust was a drug addict with a hooker problem. I highly doubt he was in the right mind when he wrote this." She said briskly changing the subject.

"Never the less, it was his final wish and it is a legally binding document. You only need a few classes to graduate." he continued hesitantly.

"Although it would be a little unorthodox, you can still take the classes to graduate and run the company, Elissa." Another man added in, he had just entered. It was Bruce Wayne, an old family friend and occasional business partner to the family- before her predecessor newly drove the company to the ground.

"You also have my full support during this time and the continued cooperation of Wayne Industries. After all, I entered into a partnership with you and no one else for the continued research in renewable energy." He continued.

She was surprised to see him but knew that the meeting would be enviable, after all their families were close and he was even going to be considered her legal guardian if her father had died before her eighteenth birthday but the cancer had taken its time with him.

"Then it's agreed I will finish my schooling before I permanently take over as CEO of Crowne Trust. The details will be dealt with in a later time. Gentlemen, could you please give me and Mr. Wayne the room?" she said as she stood up from her chair. The other men immediately got up and exited the room in a hurry and left the two of them there in the conference room.

"You didn't have to do that, protect me from the board members, keep the wolves at bay. I am perfectly capable of handling myself, Bruce."

"I know but I thought a bit of help wouldn't do any harm." he said simply.

"How are you?" he asked concerned, she hadn't gone to the funeral. This was the first time Elissa had seen him in years.

"I am fine, Bruce. Thank you for your help...and Talia sends her regards." She said as she left the room; she needed air.

-

As Elissa quickly left the building, she tripped in her heels and crashed into someone. Before she could fall, the stranger had caught her by her arms before she hit the concrete.

Her blue eyes met to look at the person who saved her to find a man with startling blue eyes and a smile that made her stare.

He was attractive to say the least and tall to the point he still towered over Elissa's petite stature despite being in heels. He was running with dark brown hair and a face that would make any girl throw themselves in front of him for the chance he would look at them. The man was in a crisp black suit with no tie and a white shirt that you knew was bespoke, it did well to hide his physique which looked deceptively slim but she felt his muscles when he caught her, holding onto her waist and arm with a careful strength.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, thank you for catching me." Elissa said politely, taking notice to the lack of distance between the two of them. She closed the gap when she spin around. He still held her in his arms and a blush began to form over her cheeks.

He was beautiful, a word that is not often associated with men, but any other word was a disservice. He was distinctly masculine and looked like he chiseled from marble.

"My pleasure, wouldn't want to let a lady take a fall." he said teasing a bit.

She taken a step back, distancing herself from the man slightly, feeling it was probably inappropriate to stay in the stranger's arm. Despite the odd comfort that Elissa felt when he held her.

"My name is Elissa."

"Hello Elissa, I'm J. Pleasure to meet you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you are enjoying the story so far. I've been having this plot in mind for a few years now but only recently got the courage to share to the world. Let me know what you think and don't worry I won't leave loose ends, everything will get answered but you'll have to keep reading to find out. Finally gave her first name, not sure if I wanted to reveal it but I was kind of getting sick of just using pronouns as I'm sure you were sick of reading it too.


	5. Birds of a Feather (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elissa meets with a family acquaintance and makes a business deal. Her mind continues to wander where she knows it shouldn't. Parts of her past are revealed as she tries to eliminate corruption and filth from her newly acquired company. She gets closer to the truth while lies surround her.

Outside Crowne Trust Headquarters

* * *

 

She was blushing from his touch, her dark blue eyes, that were the color of storms, looked conflicted. As if she wanted to stay in his grasp but knew that she couldn’t. She would not be a wanton girl to a stranger, no matter how attractive.

“Hi. Sorry, I probably should have lead with that...I’m not usually this clumsy.” Elissa gives a polite smile. She tries to hide her blush by covering her cheeks as she ran her fingers through her hair. She knew it didn't help, Elissa felt her face continue to feel hot and his hand was still holding her wrist as if to keep her from falling again. But also perhaps to keep her close...

He smiled, amused by her sudden shyness. From the outside, she was poised and polite, not giving much away but he could tell he affected her. She was so innocent but she definitely was not a child. Her figure gave that much away and her dress clearly expressed that message loud and clear. But he knew he had to be a gentleman. After all, she wasn't that easy- there was going to be a chase and this was just the beginning.

Elissa checked her watch and saw the time, she was going to be late for a meeting across town. Damn it. She looked back at the stranger, J, and quickly thanked him again. She slipped from his tempting grasp, hesitating because of some unknown pull wanting her to stay there. But she broke away. Her driver was already waiting in the front of the building. Thank god for Ashley, she had informed the town car service she was heading out ahead of time. The stoutly old man was standing by at the door, which was already open.

"I hate to hit and run, but I have to be somewhere. Goodbye, J..." Elissa said looking up to him, offering another polite smile. It was almost sincere, but J could tell it was forced. Not in a purposely false sense but he knew she was acting. Her eyes were sad. He knew despite how well she hid it. As she walked away, J watched Elissa as her hips swayed when she walked. He smiled to himself; this was going to be interesting.

He waved goodbye as she entered the back seat. J saw that she looked back at him even when the car drove away. And so it began, the dangerous game...but only one knew they were playing.

-

Midtown Gotham

As she at in the backseat of the town car, her mind was racing. Why was she still thinking about that man? She was not some lustful girl that yearned for any man that looks at her. In fact, she never even gave a second thought to romantic pursuits. Her life never allowed it and even if it did, Elissa always thought it a waste of time and energy. She doubted love, being loved, was not in her nature. It would only lead to pain, either being inflicted by her or on her and Elissa was too careful to risk it on a stranger she may never see again.

Elissa had to focus; she was still in the process of cleaning up her predecessor's messes in the company. But there was something about him - a familiarity that she couldn't quite place. Despite her wanting to dig deeper, she had other more urgent matters to dal with. She pushed those thoughts of J, the alluring stranger to the back of her min, where she hoped they would stay and kept focus on the bigger picture.

She may have gotten rid of the rats but the nests needed to be burned before new vermin take over. And to do that, she will have to enter the den filled with them. The car had pulled up to her destination, she was early. She stepped out to the front of the Iceberg Lounge, owned by the one and only Oswald Cobblepot also known as the Penguin.

It was his pride and joy, his idea of becoming a 'legitimate' businessman but everyone knew that to be lie. He was still a gentleman of crime and Gotham was rife with criminality. A penguin would sooner learn to fly than for him to give up on his backdoor dealings. Elissa entered in the front ushered in by a female assistant with a bleach blonde bob haircut. She was in a tight-fitting cocktail dress with an deep neckline that Elissa would have considered inappropriate for work but judging by who owned the establishment, she supposed that it was most likely required.

The woman guided her to the elevator to go to the second floor, it was still early so waiters were still setting up. As they past staff, they would stop and move away from the two of them, afraid to get in there way. These meetings must have occurred often and with people a lot more...volatile than herself, Elissa thought. The ride was silent but thankfully short.

She guided Elissa to the table. Penguin was already sitting down, watching the animals in his aquarium below with a massive iceberg centerpiece the penguins were gliding on, as they got closer. He stood smiling at her; holding his signature umbrella and extended a hand covered in glimmering gold rings. She smiled as he kissed her hand and a waiter pulled out her chair. A smile more false and sweet than she had on before with J.

At least with that man, Elissa wasn't playing her whole facade. There genuine emotion in that encounter, the same could not be said for this meeting.

"Mr. Cobblepot." Elissa said as she sat down.

"Oswald, please. Miss. Crowne. My condolences about your father." He said smiling an unsettling smile. But Elissa remained unperturbed, despite knowing how dangerous he was, she has sadly dealt with worse than the likes of the Penguin.

"You're kind, Mr...Oswald." Elissa said, still calm. Her hands were folded over her lap, she stayed poised as she began to twist her family signet ring on her thumb. Her back was straight and her stiletto heels were tucked behind one another. She watched him as he spoke.

“Your father used to come here often, we even did some business together.”

Elissa still kept the illusion that she was relaxed, continued to have a polite smile on her face. Her nails digging into her palms, hidden from his monocled eye.

“Oh, how interesting. He spoke highly of you, but I didn’t know you were so...close.” She said reaching for her water glass.

"Well, he would come to the Iceberg to socialize, even booked some parties to host here and we had come to know each other. We even did some other business, but that's in the past." the Penguin said as he motioned the staff to serve the two of them.

“Now what can I do for you, Miss Crowne?” he asked as another waiter had come forward with a platter covered with a metal cloche. He quickly placed it on the table and unveiled a caviar platter. Elissa knew it was Russian Black caviar, a rare and expensive delicacy that few could afford. As he silently served Penguin, she shook her head no when he was about to plate her some as well. She wasn't here for a social visit after all. Elissa kept her hardened gaze on Cobblepot and smiled as she spoke.

"I actually wanted to discuss your business relationship with my father, specifically what has been going on at the docks with what is now my company. Sadly my dear father didn't keep any books on those deals." Elissa said calmly, sipping her glass of water.

"Ah, I see that you, my dear, have a keener eye for business than Crowne senior. But I am sorry to say that I was not involved in those particular dealings. Pharmaceuticals have never really wet my beak." he said smiling at his own pun.

The waiter had refilled their glasses and Cobblepot had already drank from his. Elissa knew he wouldn’t poison her, she had to much to offer him.

The prestige and pedigree she had was too enticing not to have, the possibility of her business was enough. But she also had the entire city enraptured. She was a mysterious young beauty with wealth and power after all. Elissa wasn’t blind to this, she just didn’t particularly care about or for these aspects. After all beauty and youth fades and those who lust for it will run as soon as it does. Though for some it never fades...

She smiled again, darkly. "Oh come now, a man with your connections must have heard whispers about what was going on. All I ask is to know the locations and times of where this...meetings occur. Since you and my father were so close, I thought you could be of assistance to me."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clarify some things, timeline-wise, the story is set about 8-10 years before suicide squad. Elissa has currently been in Gotham for about 3 weeks to a month now. I wanted this to be more a combination of Young Justice and the DC cinematic universe so it will be different but I am trying to keep things somewhat faithful to DC. Also don't worry there will be lots of appearances from member's of Batman's Rouges Gallery, but some of them may not be themselves yet...  
> P.S. Apologizes for the short chapter, I will be posting the second part no later than the end of this weekend.


	6. Flock Together (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A deal is closed. She goes to see the caped crusader and establishes her position in Gotham. Elissa also decides to keep the moniker: Aves, if only to toy with a certain boy wonder...

Iceberg Lounge

* * *

 

"Well, I suppose I can tell you what I know if you could do me the smallest of favors." Penguin said as he looked at her, his monocle reelecting the gaudy glimmer of the gold rings on his fingers.

Elissa kept his stare and responded, unafraid. "And what pray tell are the specifics of this favor?"

"Haha, oh no need to be concerned. It's simple really, I've heard of your talents in dance from rumors abroad. Your performances as a guest principal ballerina at the Royal Opera House was said to be breathtaking. All I ask of you is to perform a piece, of my choosing, here and I will tell you what you want to know." He said smiling.

"What solo did you have in mind?"

"Swan Lake, the black swan variation. I was told your rendition of Odile was awe-inspiring and the talk of the town in London. So do we have a deal, Miss Crowne?

"Yes, we have a deal." as Elissa stood up and shook his hand. And an agreement was stuck.

-

As Penguin walked Elissa out to her car, she heard distant sound of cameras shutters. The tabloids will be filled rumors and the Iceberg will have more publicity, after all it was the first club the young Gothamite was seen in and with the notorious owner as well. All by design, she deduced.

"Come back anytime, Miss Crowne. The Iceberg would love to see that lovely smile again, there will always be a place in VIP for you." Penguin said, leaning over his umbrella.

"Perhaps another night, I'll have my assistant confer with your people to set up a date for the solo. Good bye...Mr. Cobblepot." Elissa said as she stepped into the car.

He waved as the car drove away. The paparazzi raced over from wherever they were hiding and tried to chase after her. Elissa quickly put on a pair of sunglasses to avoid the glare of the flashes and ordered the driver to go faster.

"Head back to Crowne Trust Headquarters." she said as looked down at her phone. Elissa still heard the minute clicking of a camera despite the fact they had left the parasites in the dust a couple blocks ago. She brushed it off to an echo from her photographic mind, but she wasn't entirely sure. The young business magnate had over 12 missed messages and 7 calls she hadn't answered; a typical occurrence when she doesn't look at her phone for an hour.

She had two other meetings to attend to that day, not to mention a club opening so she appears to have some kind of social life for an alibi when she does go and clear the nests. Penguin had informed her of the meetings at the Gotham Piers at Dock 52, it was going to happen at midnight in three days. She knew that to avoid the public and the police from figuring out that she and the new vigilante are one and the same, Elissa would have to make it clear she was somewhere else when Aves appears. Thankfully she had gotten a head start on throwing off the scent when she arrived a few days earlier than expected and used the paper's misinformed titles of her being spotted at a club in Paris to avoid possible suspicion. But she knew she still had one loose end to tie up...

Elissa called Ashley to confirm the details of her deal with Penguin and inform her that she was heading back to the office. Contracts had to be signed. Business never sleeps, especially when your company has approximately 200 different offices in over 51 countries.

-

After the multiple hours long meetings to keep the business going in its upward momentum, Elissa had finally left he building around 8. Her night however was just beginning as she had a very particular meeting she had to prepare for.

She had planned on taking her motorcycle, a new prototype from the experimental technology division of an automotive subsidiary that she had oversaw and checked up on that day. As CEO, she was able to acquire the cycle without any questions to test and see if there were further need for adjustments. It was sleeker in design with a low density metal that made the cycle more lightweight and allowed for a more powerful engine for speed and faster acceleration. The motorcycle was also designed to be portable and able to be compacted to about the size of a suitcase.

She had taken it to the outskirts of Gotham to a off-road where she had traced a certain signal to. Elissa was already dressed in her gear, mask over her face and taken off her helmet. Her portable code breaker was making quick work of the security system that he placed on the door, it had a weaker firewall than she would have guessed. She supposed he had not thought that anyone would find this particular gate to his cave. But she had come prepared and Elissa had the advantage of going on these grounds as a child.

She had cracked the codes in record time thanks to her program and entered the Batcave. It had been empty, but she knew for not very long, she purposefully left one of the alarms to be sent to him warning Bruce what she had done. She wanted his attention after all and to repay him with a surprise visit.

"You always did have an affinity with bats, didn't you." Elissa said as she saw Batman enter.

"Why did you come here uninvited?" He said gruffly.

"It's not nice to be caught off guard is it? I had to pay you a visit and since we both know who one another are, let's get down to brass tacks, Bruce. I am here to clarify some things." she said simply as she looked around the massive underground facility.

The space was enormous and had multiple levels which stored a multitude of different paraphernalia from, what Elissa deduced, past fights with different super villains. Most would fixate on the live size Tyrannosaurus or the giant penny but Elissa was more fascinated by the smaller memorabilia in the display cases, the weapons taken from beaten villains.

"Besides..." she added, as her eyes met the massive joker card hanging above them, "We both know if I hadn't come here, you would have came it me and I prefer to know when I have guests over. Especially since I'm still new in town." 

"There were other ways other than hacking into the Batcave and taking down the firewalls." Batman spoke sternly.

"Perhaps...but I wanted to make it clear what I am capable of. As well as the fact that I am not looking to an addition to the dynamic duo, I am doing this for my own reasons which don't involve either of you."

"Does it involve Ra's?" He said. Unsurprising, the world's greatest detective had already connected some of the dots. Elissa wasn't surprised and continued on, knowing that there was a third, observing in the shadows.

"Despite what you presume, I have cut my ties with the League. I am here in Gotham strictly for personal reason. Though I wanted to tell Talia's message as a personal favor. All I am asking is that I am allowed to carry out my personal matters without anymore...intrusions. That means from you too, Boy Wonder. Don't think I didn't notice you there." She said as she took a seat at one of the work tables near the cave's main computer.

She picked up a grapple gun with her gloved hands, it incomplete and still being in the process of transfigured. There was an issue with the mechanisms, she knew that at first glance. Robin came closer to the two vigilantes, and away from his hiding spot.

"Wouldn't have pegged you for a voyeur, but hey I suppose it's not such a far leap with what I've seen you do with handcuffs." Elissa said, adjusting the gears in the grapple gun not particularly paying attention to him, which frustrated him even further.

"That's not what I was doing! I was just-, it was just..." he paused for a few seconds, she could tell her joke had gotten to him. 

"What are you doing here...Aves, is it or would you prefer to go by another name?" he asked as he stepped closer to her, they were only inches away.

He was fit, which was to be expected with the job he does after hours and fairly tall. Robin had short, messy black hair and an athletic build that was well toned and defined, despite being held in a red and black kevlar infused bodysuit with yellow stylized 'R' on his chest with a black and yellow cape on his back. A girl could find him...attractive if met to in different circumstances, possibly in the same circumstances if the girl wasn't Elissa. Her focus was not so easily swayed and she was still annoyed at the fact he had handcuffed her.

Elissa smiled behind her mask. "Ah, so you still don't know who I am. Such a shame, I thought you would have figured it out by now, Grayson."

She saw his face change from frustration to shock. "I think I'll go by Aves for now. I'm not in the mood to give away the ending just yet. I believe you can respect that, Batman, after all I did save his life that night, despite his efforts to make things difficult. So for history's sake, and besides don't you want to put your little apprentice to the test?" she spoke amused still focused at her little task.

She felt the silence sit in the air as she finished her alterations.

"Very well, I will leave you to your business for now but I will still be keeping an eye on you." Bruce said in face still showing no emotion, hidden behind his cowl.

Elissa moved toward Robin and got close and paused for moment. Robin's face was flushed slightly due to the lack of distance between them. She had caught him off guard when she took him down by the ankle and sideswiped him, leaving him on the floor. 

"That was for not apologizing for the handcuffs and for trying to put a tracker on me right now. I would have a lighter touch if you do that again." She said as she looked down at him, holding the gun in one hand and the tiny tracking device in the other.

"Well, goodbye for now. And I fixed your grapple gun, it should work better to the specifications you were trying to adjust it to. You forgot to factor in the pressure drag, I made the correct configurations. Take care and please do stay out of my way, boy blunder." Elissa said as she tossed the device and the tracker at Robin and winked at him as she walked away. Batman just stood watching the interaction, observing but not speaking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still have to set up the pieces so the game can be played but don't worry, it will get a lot more interesting. Keep reading to find out and let me know how you feel about it (:


	7. Wandering Minds and Obsessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going back a few weeks before the current story to explore a different perceptive. One with more blatant violence and sex to keep things interesting and delve further into the madness. Entering the mind of an insane genius fixated on a particular curiosity.

Downtown Gotham

  
1 week after the Crowne Research Facility Explosion

She writhed beneath him as he hammered into the woman from behind. He wasn't gentle with her but she kept begging for more, not that he was listening. Her voice was grating and made him grab her neck to quiet the high pitched wails she screamed in her over enjoyment. He was thinking of someone else, of her. The new obsession that now lived deep inside his twisted mind, he imagined her in the place of the random slut that he was fucking.

The Joker thought of her body pressed against his again but this time without her clothes; skin to skin. He saw the two of them, her underneath him. Her breasts pushed against him as her spine arched from yearning, he knew that they were supple and endowed. Despite the constricting top she wore and the jacket to hide it, he knew that she had a set on her and they were real, unlike the one attached to the slut he was actually in.

His thoughts kept going back to her. That stranger who leapt off a building with him, without a second thought, and saved him. Why!? He racked his brain about it an about her, at first he wanted to grab her and take her with him and figure out what the hell she was thinking. But he can't kill her; she had to live. She wasn't like the others, she was different... Why did he care about her living- about her so much?!

He heard her voice instead as he pulled in and out of the blonde whose name he didn't care to ask. The Joker wouldn't have been this crass if it was really her. He would've made her beg but there would have been pleasure beyond the aggression and he would have her in every way imaginable. She would have moaned with that voice of hers, soft and melodic with a wildness and strength beneath the surface, as he toyed with her to make sure she was nice and wet for him.

He would gotten her to point where she couldn't take it anymore and grabbed him by his green hair and told him to fuck her. And he would gladly oblige, of course, over and over again. Their bodies intertwined, her leg wrapped around him, allowing him to go further into her. He could hear her moan for him asking him to be rougher, harder. She melted beneath him; too far gone from the pleasure and pain to see anything other than him.

Their lips connected and he felt a calm for a moment, the static stopped and it was just them. No more voices or faded ghosts in his psyche trying make him snap even further, it just her and a bit of humanity that he didn't know he had left. The way her body would react to his- he could almost feel her soft skin again and imagined her touch. She had gloves on the night they were chained together but he imagined that her nails were digging into his pale back as he pushed deeper into her at pace that made her moan into his ear.

He couldn't understand why he was fixated on her; why he wanted her so badly. She shouldn't mean anything but she did. She had captured his attention and became his obsession with her eyes that pulled him in and the ferocity she seduced him with. Her blue eyes the color of a tempest that enraptured him, where he saw something in them that ruled over him. Those eyes that made him unable to forget her. The Joker had to find her again, figure out who she was and make her his.

Unlike the faceless body he was thrusting into in reality, Joker wanted to look into her eyes as he entered her. He imagined watching those maddening eyes, the color of storms, give into him and widen as he pushed deeper into her, making her hold onto him- grasping for dear life. Teasing her with his touch, he would make her tighten around him, her muscles fold around his length as she begged for him to never stop...

She would whisper his name in his ear softly with emotion he can't remember feeling. She would repeat his real name, continuing to say it, something he hasn't heard in years. He wasn't even sure if it wasn't just a faded memory wrapped in a hallucination that may not be real but she said it. And he would make it so, somehow. He will find her again so the illusion will become real so he could have her.

Instead of who he was with then, a nobody, so he could feel a bit of release from his wanting of her. The third woman of the night in fact; the other two he had sent off on their way after they couldn't keep up.

They were lucky that he had left them in one piece, bruised and a bit worse for wear but he left them alive. He was still the Joker but he simply didn't want to deal with the clean up. He ordered them out when they were no longer of use. Their hands on his body did nothing to soothe his need for the girl who had ensnared his mad mind.

Relief eluded him as the night continued, the girls did nothing for him except make him want her and became burdensome at best due to their lack of endurance. As the blonde beneath him came on him, the Joker pushed her limp body off of him. She was doing nothing for him and her irritating screeches were beginning to be intolerable.

The girl, someone he had picked up in one of his clubs while he was hammered, was attractive but in an obvious way that bored him. She was bleach blonde with extensions and a pair of bought tits who obviously had issues of her own but Joker was drunk and needed to forget a multitude of things.

As he reached for his drink, scotch on the rocks, on the hotel bed's side table, he slicked back his hair and reached for his phone. The girl glanced at him and waited unsure of what to do with herself, still trying to catch her breath.

"Get out." He said simply, the aggression was clear in his voice but he was still not looking at her. The Joker was in a terrible mood due his lack of satisfaction and needed to be alone in the room.

"The man outside will pay you." the Joker said still focused on his phone.

The blonde's brown eyes widened as she clutched her clothes in her hand.

"I'm...I am not a hooker." she said finally, the fear was setting in. She was worried that he was angry at her and beginning to regret sleeping with a notorious criminal.

He laughed, still clutching his phone.

"You could've fooled me, sweetheart. Well, I guess Jonny won't have to pay you then. Don't let the door hit ya on your way out."

He cackled as she quickly left with her dress and shoes in hand. As the woman exited the room, Joker had gotten up to shower and wash the stench of sex off of him. He grabbed a bottle of liquor on the way to the bathroom and swallowed a quick swig straight from it right before he stepped into the shower.

As the water hit his body, he groaned at the absolute dissatisfaction the girls gave him tonight. He needed release. As he let the drops of water fall onto his head, he brought himself to release as he pictured her there in his mind. The Joker imagined what he would done to her if she had truly been there with him. Their slippery bodies holding onto one another with pure need and want as he plowed into her, feeling her come on him and his seed fill her. The fluids mixing inside her as they panted and stared into each other's eyes. Blue looking to green as euphoria played with their vision.

He will find her and make these manifestations real. The Joker will make the girl want him and will then gladly give her what she will ultimately beg for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those wondering: No, right now this is not love. He's still the Joker. At most right now he has lust for her and fascination in Aves but the Joker does not love. Not yet at least. But how he feels is very different from what is portrayed of his feelings toward Harley, this relationship is/will be go deeper...


	8. Investigations and Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mysteries to be solved and our young vigilante has a long night ahead for the Young Crowne must make appearances in society. And also do what must need to be done. Fixations are held by those who have become woven into a tumultuous fate.

The Batcave

After Aves left the cave, Robin picked himself up from the floor. He felt the bruises forming as he set down his grapple gun on the nearest table. Batman had gone over to the supercomputer to work on a case, ignoring Robin’s frustrated look.

He was looking into what Joker was doing at the facility and trying to discover what he was making with the stolen chemicals he had taken so far. The hit on the Crowne Science Research facility was the first of a series of hits the Joker had been making since that night.

So far he had ruled out Joker Venom - the chemicals needed to produce it were not taken in these current robberies. Batman knows that he has gone into hiding and though it made Gotham more peaceful - Bruce had a feeling this was just the calm before the storm.

“So when were you going to tell me you knew who she was? Or were you just going to keep out of the loop forever?”

Still not looking back at Robin, Bruce answered, “You seemed to coming to your own conclusions and made a personal need to find out who she was. I had already assessed that she is not going to be a problem so I didn’t think it was necessary to divulge her identity.”

“You said she's affiliated with the League of Assassins and she just broke into the Batcave. You don’t think that’s not at all dangerous?” Robin said, arms crossed, waiting for him to.

“She also saved your life. And her ties with the league are not of concern.”

Robin stayed silent, he was still unable to figure Aves out. She was an enigma and her actions only made him more confused; Aves had saved him and somehow knew their identities. What made things more complicated was the fact that Batman seemed unconcerned with her - he knew her and failed to mention it despite him knowing full well that he was investigating and trying to find any clues on who she was or what she wanted.

-

Outside the Batcave

By the time Elissa left the Batcave, the sun had began to set and hue the sky a soft orange and pink. The wilderness around her was in a calm state and there was a peaceful quietness that sounded her. She began to make her way back to her motorcycle using her tracker, she had concealed her black and silver bike a few kilometers back before she made her way to the Batcave.

It was hidden by a special added camouflage feature that her R and D that renders the vehicle invisible and undetectable by temperature as well. A small device the size and shape of bike bell had a switch that was able to render the motorcycle completely hidden. That way, only Elissa could find her bike via GPS using one of her company's satellites that linked only to her personal server, to prevent any unwanted snooping.

The only issue was that the device didn't last very long, only for 3 hours maximum. Then the battery of the added attachment dies and needs to be recharged. But for Elissa's use, it was more than adequate.

She made sure to sweep herself again for bugs on her person and found none. Although, she knew as much to not presume Bruce placed one on her, since he already knew who she was and where she was staying. But she had to make sure that Robin hadn't slipped another tracker on her.

The Boy Wonder was, after all, trained by him and had to be proficient in tracking and combat to survive his tenure as a crimefighter in Gotham. But Elissa was far more than a run of the mill villain and she was also trained by the best. With far worse circumstances, for were she to not to have excelled in her training she would not be alive. Her path to prowess was much more lethal than his, which does no way lower his abilities but more elevates hers.

She didn't find any on her, thankfully. Elissa still had a long night ahead of her and didn't want to deal with the issue of having Robin spy on her. She pulled her helmet over her head and prepared to head back into the city. Elissa still had to head back to her apartment and get changed before going out to another meeting.

-

Re-entering Gotham City

The ride back to the city was pleasant enough and gave her some time to think over what she was planning to do with the information Penguin had given her. She had gotten the date and time of the next drop-off and where it occurring but she still needed to find out more, specifically who was paying off pier inspectors and handling the delivery. Tonight was to work over what Elissa had learned and build further on it to make sure she didn't have any loose ends. And to do that, she would have to go to a club opening for intel.

Elissa arrived back to her apartment after switching out of her gear and parking her motorcycle in the garage. She walked into her penthouse to find a rack of clothes and shoes in the middle of her living room. She put her down the bag that held her suit and gear and then set down her helmet, which had been being held against her right hip, placing it on top of the black coffee table.

Ashley had came to the apartment earlier that day to drop them off, she had gone a little overboard when Elissa simply asked her to pick up a dress and a new pair of heels for her appearance at the opening. Elissa hadn't given much thought to her look, only remembering that most of her wardrobe was still being shipped to the States and that she did not have much in the ways of club attire.

But Ashley had taken to the task of selecting nearly a dozen dresses and half a dozen pairs of shoes for her appraisal to become her choice of attire for the night out. Elissa had given her the night off which thankfully had prevented her from being there with the clothes excitedly dressing her and aiding in her selection of what to wear.

  
Ashley's excitement and Elissa's lack of it would have led to the young mogul's early start on excessively drinking to get though the fittings. As much as she actually liked Ashley as her assistant, sometimes her enthusiasm was a little too much for Elissa to handle sober tonight. And she needed to be at least relatively clearheaded when she entered the club.

That being said, Elissa poured herself a glass of chilled vodka from her last bottle from Moscow- she had gone through her supply since coming back to the States. As she took a long sip from her glass, Elissa scanned her options. There was a fair variety of types of dress Ashley had selected for her but some of her choices were a bit much for the eighteen year old. She was no stranger to short dresses but some of them were ridiculously short.

Especially a deep red spaghetti strapped club dress with a hemline that barley covered her ass. It was backless and the silhouette made the focus on directly on her ass. And even for someone as petite as her, Elissa knew that the moment she sat down in, her underwear would show. And she was not in the mood to give a peep show tonight. She looked through the rack, reviewing the selection.

The other options were a bit more tame; from a single strapped grecian inspired white mid-length dress to a black 1950s inspired bustier dress that was modernized with a bodycon silhouette.

Elissa ultimately settled on a black dress with deep v-neck and a cross strap design in the front with a hem that went down to her mid thighs. It was understated but still conveyed elegance from the quality of material it was made out of.

She then quickly selected a pair of black crystal Manolo Blahniks with ankle straps and added a silver watch with matching bracelets to her wrists. As she put on her small diamond earrings, Elissa quickly did her make up, only an easy smoky eye and a deep red lip for a bit of color in her otherwise dark look.

She called for a town car as she finished putting her hair into a quick high ponytail. Out of habit, she had called for her usual driver that Elissa had been using most of the days that she had been in Gotham.

-

As she sat in the back of the car holding her black Alexander McQueen satin clutch and was twisting her sigil ring on her left thumb. Her mind still wandered back to him. The Joker.

Elissa couldn't get those eyes out her mind; those electric green eyes filled with such despair. They looked the same as hers, not in color or shape but the sadness within them was disturbingly comparable.

It was a pain that could not be erased caused by things that should have destroyed the individual who experienced it but didn't. The agony that pulls you into the depths and never really allows you to go back. He was like her or more possibly she was like him.

Elissa looked out the window into the busy streets of Gotham, hoping this bad feeling in her gut would quickly pass. But it only grew, worrying her more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was going to go right into the cIub scene but I realized that it was going to be way too long as a single chapter and broke it up. To compensate, I added more detail to the scenes and there will be more drama and action soon. 2 more chapters will be posted by the end of the week, I promise.  
> P.S. I wanted to give a change in narrative perspective. Hope it doesn't throw you guys for a loop but the author is in control or...maybe this is was what the story wanted and I am just a servant to the words. Subscribe if you like.


	9. Temptations and Vodka

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our mysterious heroine has another engagement to go to. For the night is young for those who have parties to go to. Meetings will be made, alibis created and debauchery will be had. A reacquaintance enters the fold again and clouded judgments due to liquor may cause complications.

Midtown Gotham

Innamorati - Nightclub

* * *

 

Elissa stepped out of car and into the blinding flashes of rapid photographers, trying to get the best image of her first real social outing. She had already gone to a handful functions since she arrived in Gotham but Elissa was able to evade the paparazzi by avoiding the red carpets.

The only reason she even went to the parties was to simply support the charities with a donation and then leave after thirty minutes, she rarely mingled with the sycophantic elites that vie for a chance to do business with her. She had, after all, made billions in profit after only a few weeks and the young Crowne was the talk of the town.

The bouncers quickly began to push back the paparazzi as Elissa made her way inside "Innamorati", a sleek newly remodeled 3 story building that allowed for the utmost privacy for its clientele with one way glass installed in the windows to prevent any voyeurs or unwanted press.

Only those invited could enter the sanctuary and walk past the velvet ropes. Walking past the chaos around her, Elissa walked through the gold gilded double doors and stepped into the nightclub.

Music was blasting as multi-colored lights flashed around her, forcing her eyes to adjust to the scene of blatant debauchery happening in front of her eyes. Scantily clad girls grinded on strangers as others tried to drown out whatever sorrows they had with liquor and pills.

Cocaine was being done in the booths in the back by young stockbrokers as skinny models were spilling their brightly colored drinks. The young Crowne clearly didn't drink enough to deal with this night and she had a feeling it was going to get wilder.

As Elissa made her way up the black industrial stairs that take one to the VIP section, she felt many eyes watch her move across the dance floor. It was the only way up and despite her best efforts, her presence was...very known, to say the least. She ignored the stares and whispers as she walked past the bouncer without need to stop to check if she was on the list. After all, her face has been plastered over the front pages for weeks.

She immediately saw the people she was meeting when she walked into the VIP section. Nikolay and Darya; fraternal twins who were exceptional partiers and had a penchant for mischief.

They also were the children of a high ranking member of the Bratva and ingrained in the lifestyle as well- the twins were one of Elissa's numerous connections to the criminal underworld. But all and all they were not horrible people and lying to themselves about who they were, which was why Elissa got along so well with the two.

They were in the States, visiting and looking over the overseas branches of their father's group and Elissa had called in a favor that they were meeting to do for her.

When the twins saw her - the younger of the two, Darya sprang up from their booth and ran to hug Elissa. Nikolay, the older of the siblings - a dark haired twenty-four year old that inherited his father's scowl, had stayed seated at their booth as he dismissed his harem of models.

He looked on from afar as his sister interacted with Elissa. Despite his intimidating features, he was shy by nature and felt out of place in social environments - something Elissa understood, despite the facade she conveys.

Darya was a tall, natural Russian beauty with curly chocolate hair and gave a bone-crushing hug.

The young woman, a few years older than Elissa, was also the main force behind the financial aspects of the Bratva. She was a mathematical genius, which the young Crowne had met during a trip to Russia she had made a few years back for a mission. Darya quickly taken a liking to the Crowne, as did her brother, and they had been in contact ever since. Elissa was kind to them, without false intention, and they became loyal allies to her.

" _Hello, it is good to see you my dearest friend._ " the towering Russian gazelle said in her native tongue as she released the petite girl.

" _You as well. Hope your trip to Gotham wasn't too turbulent._ " Elissa effortlessly replied in Russian.

Darya smiled; quickly switching back to English as she grabbed Elissa hand.

"As sweet as always, the flight was nothing. Though you know how Nikolay is about flying." 

The tall brunette began to walk, taking Elissa along with her as she continued.

"Come, come. Nikolay has been most anxious to see you again."

As they came over to their booth, Nikolay had gotten rid of the group of attractive but albeit slutty women and was now drinking a glass of scotch as he waited for the two girls sit down.

"Lissa." he said simply.

"Niko.." Elissa replied as she took her seat across from the twins who were sitting side by side, as they always did.

"I taken care of that little issue of yours when I was in London. I thought it best if I told you in person when all of the loose ends were tied. I recommend no more escorts for the time being. " She said looking over her shoulder, there was something off but she couldn't pinpoint what.

"Thank you." He paused, knowing that he couldn't say much in their current location- it was too public. His demeanor had finally relaxed...at least for a bit.

God forbid - if rumors came out the son of a highly ranked Bratva official preferred the company of men. Nikolai had gotten himself into a sticky situation involving a lover whom he had fallen for. In the end was using him and when the man was bored, he began to blackmail Nikolai.

Unlike his sister, he was an introvert- painfully shy and when his romantic interest showed his true colors; he was heartbroken and if found out would be killed slowly.

So Elissa was called in to fix the situation by means that would be frowned upon in society, but in certain circles it made her revered. A talent and darkness she tried to hide away but she was born to it - from the pain and ashes of a past she can never escape. But it had become a part of her along with the rest of the costs she had to pay in order to survive.

He slid the flash drive over to her on the table as he picked up his glass of scotch. It was a casual, quick movement that allowed for the exchange, Elissa simply plugged the drive into her personalized computer phone.

It was another prototype that she personally helped create - a sleek handheld supercomputer with holographic displays made possible with specialized OLEDs made by Crowne Trust's Technology division, not to mention a USB port for obvious reasons. She quickly tapped instructions onto the touch screen and transferred the materials to the proper private channels.

"Thanks, Niko." Elissa said as the data finished downloading.

Her eyes quickly scanned the data and she saw something that made her back ache. Her grip on her phone tightened as she felt eyes watching her; a predatory glare that was subtle but it was still there enough for Elissa to notice. 

Darya, who knew of the situation but wasn't worried because she knew Lissa was handling it, was simply people watching. One person had caught her attention enough to curse in Russian as she nudged Elissa to look. Elissa wasn't paying attention she was looking the other way as she thought she saw a glimpse of the culprit but Darya began to make a fuss.

"What is it, Darya?" Elissa finally looked at her as she sighed.

"Look at him. He's stunning and walking straight towards you. Lucky, you always get the handsome ones even though you always reject them."

"She's right. You might want to look and see, Lissa." Niko chimed in, even he was enraptured by the person.

Elissa turned to the direction the excitable Russian was motioning and saw a familiar face. It was him - J. The young man who had caught her as she was about to fall this morning. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the late submissions, it's been a busy week and I wanted to make sure that the story still flowed in the direction I wanted it to go to. I will try to post the next one sooner.


	10. Remembering Fragments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blackouts, blood under her nails, and unreturned memories lead to a complicated morning for Elissa. Gotham mornings are often as chaotic as the nights as the young Crowne tries to piece together the late hours of the night before.

She saw those eyes again. Those orbs of deep color and emotion that had captured her in the ocean of blue. He seemed so familiar to her but the face was slightly different and something was off...

The girl recognized him in an instant but they were strangers to one another. Her mind was toying with her as the delirium set in; he was the only thing physically holding her up at the moment. His grip and her stubborn will were all that was keeping her off the floor.

The color of his eyes confused her - as if he was known to her but how was that possible? He was a stranger.

The rain washed away the blood off her face and knuckles as she turned her clouded eyes to look at him.

The feeling of deja vu continued to hit her as she looked into those startling blue eyes. Their faces were barely an inch apart from each other; his fingers had made their way into her loosened locks as they stood their in the rain. Her loosened inhibitions had made Elissa even more impetuous than she already was.

Without really thinking, she closed the gap between their lips.

Elissa had surprised him, a difficult thing to do, making him hesitate for a second. But he quickly kissed her back as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She didn't want him to let go of her.

It was a simple kiss; her first kiss, in fact. And despite the impulsiveness of the action, it was innocent and felt safe.

He felt safe - despite everything. What she didn't know was that her vulnerability was matched with his own; she was becoming an addiction. He was becoming undone by her. Elissa had given back something he thought he lost. Something beyond the abyss. Past the free fall of darkness, she was the calm in the center of the hurricane.

Her vision was blurred from the excess of alcohol but her other senses were working on overdrive. His grip had tightened as the kiss deepened. He had kissed her back almost instantly, at first hesitating due to the spontaneity of the action.

His touch was bliss and he made her melt in his arms as he caressed her exposed flesh. The sound of his voice drove her over the edge and her fingers tugged on his hair. She needed him desperately and yet part of Elissa knew that if they were together, the world would burn.

"I shouldn't have done that." she whispered.

-

For such a dangerous love had a price. The queen could not love a jester, lest the kingdom turn to ash.

After all, such a thing as two damaged lovers finding each other against the Fates' wishes will bring the city to its knees.

Madness cannot be rewarded with bliss and the sanity that was given back to them will cost dearly.

The strings of fate are becoming so intertwined that the threads are being blurred. One is there and also not.

-

As the sun just began to peak above Gotham's city horizon, Elissa was fighting the urge to stay asleep. For the first time in a very long time, Elissa couldn't remember her dreams. Or more specifically her nightmares.

Her head pounded like an over-beaten drum and her mind was static. When she opened her eyes, Elissa noticed she wasn't in the bed in her apartment. Instead, she was in a strange bed within unknown surroundings.

Elissa couldn't remember what happened after she had gotten the flash drive. The majority of the night was a blur to her and that made that lost time dangerous. She had never allowed herself to lose control like this - what had caused her to be so reckless?

She pushed the white sheets away from her body to discover more alarming findings. Elissa realized that she was no longer in her dress; instead she was in a men's white dress shirt.

Thankfully - beneath it, Elissa still her underwear but her inability to recall what had occurred still had her nervous. And what she would discover after further inspection concerned her more so - her fingers were also carefully bandaged.

"The fuck..." Elissa murmured as she looked carefully at her hands.

"I did that last night.. You said you had a fall and scrapped up your hands." a resonant male voice broke the silence of the room.

J had just gotten out of the adjoining bathroom and was buttoning his shirt up. He must have woken up earlier than her. He had a calm disposition and continued to finish getting dressed.

"I called down for some coffee. Thought it might help with your hangover..."

Her blood ran cold and Elissa felt literally and figuratively exposed. She pulled the sheet over her body and spoke, trying to hide the absolute disarray her brain was in.

"What happened last night?" 

Her voice was level and clear but he could tell that she was trying to hide her real emotions; she was afraid. Afraid to discover what the hell she might have done the night before. And possibly what was done to her.

J's brow furrowed for a moment.

"You don't remember?"

Elissa pulled her legs up to her chest, she recalled bits and pieces of the night but how she came to be in a stranger's bed was not one of them. The end of the night was lost to her, but how she acquired her injuries - that she remembered.

-

She was in the empty ladies' room and opened her powder compact. The makeup was from her time in Paris, it was so difficult to find a powder that matched her natural porcelain hue and was specially made to be an extremely fine rose dust.

The door clicked behind her as she walked to the pristine black sinks. 

Elissa looked up to the mirror to see three mercenaries around her. Another was directly behind her, a short sword in hand ready to sink into her neck.

She simply placed the compact on the counter as she glared at the assassin behind her. 

"You were sloppy, I had noticed you the moment I entered the club."

Elissa quickly headbutted the man standing behind her, causing him to drop the sword and fall to the ground. Before the first attacker could react, she grabbed the fallen sword and promptly brought it down on the man's hand. As another lunged forward to attack, she blew the powder into the mercenary's eyes - blinding the woman. 

While the female mercenary flailed about due to the loss of vision, Elissa then focused her attention on the last of the three. Dodging the kicks and uppercuts of the burly assailant, the young woman - without mercy - plunged the sword into the man's abdomen.

When she finished with the assassin, Elissa grabbed the woman by the back of the neck and slammed her head into the mirror until she lost consciousness. 

Calmly walking to the first of her attackers, whose hand was still skewered to the floor with his own sword, she kneeled down to look into those angry, fearful eyes. 

"Do not mistake me allowing you to live as mercy." she said coldly, digging the sword in further to his hand.

Getting closer, as the man writhed in pain, Elissa noticed he was young. Older than her but she could tell he was in his early twenties and that he was green. They all were, though even with fully trained members of the league - the same end result would have still occurred.

She leaned in, hands covered with blood. "Go back to your masters, tell them what happened just now and make it clear what will happen the next time he tries to intrude in my affairs. And know the only reason I am allowing you to live is to deliver that message."

Getting up, she pulled out the sword and tossed it aside. Gathering her clutch, Elissa walked out of the bathroom and back into the flashing lights and chaos of the club. The assassin had retreated and went to report what had occurred.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay, life has been...difficult as of late. Hopefully this chapter doesn't make you guys angrier, I tried to at least make sure the storyline works. I will try my best to be more punctual with my postings.


	11. The Scent of Blood and Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snippets of the night play out as characters recall what occurred. A curious attraction grows and the obsession deepens into something dangerous.

Stepping out of the blood soaked bathroom, Elissa wandered out into the dance floor in a daze.

She had been careless that night - believing that for once she could relax, that for once she could let her guard down. Gotham had made her reckless and made her to foolishly think that perhaps...things could be different.

She couldn't have been more wrong.

-

The darkness of the club had concealed the fact her hands and face were covered in blood and despite the flashing lights, only one saw the girl. In the crowd, Elissa was hidden by the drunken horde of youthful bodies grinding against one another. The music blasted in her ears, but she paid no attention to the mess around her as they didn't to her.

She went through the crowd, unnoticed by all but one. The rest were too busy in their own little worlds, looking for their next fix or their next lay. It was all a game to them; one with such consequences and cost that is almost always ignored.

Despite moving through the dance floor with an ease, Elissa was in a state of disarray. She had been drugged during her altercation when she fought off her first assailant. As she took down the mercenary, the short sword had nicked her neck and introduced a toxin into her body.

It was supposed to dull her senses and then ultimately render her unconscious. The mission was to take her alive and unharmed but Elissa had surprised them...and maimed them quite extensively before the drug ultimately began to wreck havoc on her system.

What the assassins didn't count on her ability to withstand the toxin enough to take them down, but it had affected Elissa enough to let them go. She didn't notice the scratch until it was too late and by the time Elissa left the bathroom, the drug had begun to take effect.

Mild delirium was setting in as her vision began to blur. Her eyesight was clouded and unfocused; the party around her made the girl feel even more isolated and alone.

Her mind was screaming like a dying animal - not because of the drug but due to the all encompassing, numbing pain that Elissa had been locking away for the past decade of her life.

So she did her usual course of action when she can no longer pretend - Elissa looked for an escape.

-

Commandeering a random bottle of liquor from a passing bottle service tray that was being held by a particularly unobservant waiter, Elissa made her way to the roof. The stairwell was empty and quiet behind the steel door that separated the entrance to the roof from the second floor. 

She finally let out a single sigh as she leaned against the wall. Elissa's heart was pounding and her clouded eyes could barely stay focused. As she slid down the wall, her eyes finally adjusted to the lack of light and she set down the half empty bottle of bourbon. The alcohol was a mistake - one of many Elissa made that night. She took a final gulp from the bottle of subpar bourbon from, what her impaired mind could gather, a terrible brewery that originated from the Rust Belt.

Setting aside the then blood covered bottle, the girl slipped off her heels and stretched her feet. Shoes in hand, Elissa headed up the darkened stairs and made it to the roof.

The summer breeze was cool on her face as she pulled out the hair tie and released her ebony locks from the ponytail. As the wind blew past her blushing cheeks - reddened from the toxin - Elissa took in the chill of the night air.

The city was still so alive around her, the roads were still packed and the sidewalks were filled with people. Gotham nightlife was vibrant in its darkness. The city screamed with a fervent call and had an illicit tone about it. But she couldn't hear the noise; her mind had deafened her surroundings.

The moonlight danced on her alabaster skin as she dropped her toes onto the floor and step towards the edge of the rooftop deck.

She knew she was being watched and continued to make her way onto the metal railing.

Stepping on the bar, all she could see were blinding streams of lights. Everything was beginning to blur as Elissa securely stood there on top of the railing. All she could hear was the beating of her own heart. Elissa closed her eyes again as she teetered over the ledge.

"You know, it's not very polite to spy on a lady.." She said to the silent figure behind her. Despite her senses being fried from the poison in her system, she still could tell when she was being tailed. That talent had been too deeply ingrained into her to be lost with something as silly as a Class A psychotropic drug. To know when one is being watched can keep a person alive and in this city...it's a much needed tool.

"Though I suppose, it's not the worst thing that's been done to me tonight..."

Elissa didn't look back to see who it was, instead she lifted her right hand as she felt raindrops fall into her palm. She held her head up to face the sky as she felt the rain cascade over her, washing away the blood away from her skin. She felt herself drifting; her body and mind weightless while her surroundings faded to nothingness.

Her body began to fall and Elissa felt the pull of gravity for a moment until it was then swiftly replaced with two strong arms, pulling her back over the railing.

"I've got you." He said softly into her ears, causing her to shiver.

The momentum disappeared as she opened her eyes. Blinking away the rain that fell into her eyes and over her body, Elissa turned around and looked up to find herself face to face with her unsuspecting savior. 

It was him; J. The man who caught her that morning, the owner of the strange, beautiful blue eyes. The eyes of a predator that enraptured lured with ease. They hid something Elissa was unable to distinguish in that first meeting and it bothered her. Eyes were how she read people, it was an ability she had been cultivating since she was young; an intuition that she sharpened to be almost indisputable. 

She let out a manic laugh as she looked into his eyes with clouded lenses and a curiosity that she couldn't quite utilize in her delirium. But for a few moments, they simply stood there, saying nothing in that rain-beaten rooftop.

"We have to stop meeting like this.." She said as she stroked his cheek.

He tucked a loose strand of wet hair behind her right ear. Elissa was so close to him that she could smell his cologne and feel his body pressed against hers.

Her heart was pounding out of her chest and in such immediacy that it paced in sync to the sound of the rain hitting the ground like bullets out of the barrel of a gun. And soon she found herself drowning, not from the rain pelting her, but by the azure pools of blue that paralyzed her in his arms. There, in the rain, those two figures faced each other and saw something dangerous. Something deadly. She felt it's magnetic pull, for her to be taken deeper into the abyss.

Before he could say anything, Elissa did something unanticipated.

Closing the gap between them, she gently captured his lips with hers and despite the outright boldness of her action, Elissa was afraid. Fearful that he may reject her. But what she didn't understand was that no man could have rebuffed her in that moment. There in that midnight shower, she was his - even if for just a small moment. She had freely given herself to him, without consequence or second regard...

And so he reciprocated with an intensity and frenzy that if left unchecked would consume them both. She had the makings of becoming an addiction; an obsession that could never be relinquished, by force or by one's own devices.

Her storm had taken over the deep blues of his sight and once the die is cast, it must fall.


	12. A Growing Fascination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The board is set and the pieces are gathering in their places. Interest grows from unexpected places.

"I should go." Elissa spoke as steadily as she could and began to gather her belongings.

She didn't even want ask for her dress due to the fact it would have forced her to stay there longer. Her body still was sore and stiff from both the fight that occurred in the bathroom and the poison the assassin was able to drive into her. The exposure she had from the night before was still fresh in her mind as well as her body. Too many mistakes were made and with far too many onlookers observing her moment of weakness. Nothing could be done to change what had occurred, but literally dwelling in a residence of her oversights was something she did not intend on doing.

He simply watched as she gone through the motions of her departure knowing that for the game to continue, she would need to be allowed to do what she believes she must. Any additional intimacy would ultimately have ruined any chances of a connection being made and so he would keep his distance. Blunt force, when the situation dictates, can be extremely...enjoyable but at the moment, the game required nuances to be made. After all, wasted effort was not something he could tolerate, especially when it came to this.

"Thank you. For your hospitality." Elissa said as she was turning the doorknob to leave.

He had followed to the door, keeping his distance but also unwavering in his gaze. The man was focused. On what, Elissa had yet to understand. What he wanted was a contradiction to her. She knew that she was a target of sorts for him but the specifics on why were is up in the air, considering the fairly ugly sides of her he surely witnessed the night before. But he merely smiled slightly and gave a small wave as he watched her walk out the door.

"Name's Jack by the way." 

As the door shut on him, she paused for a moment in the empty hallway. A chill ran up her spin. She wouldn't characterize it necessarily as fear but Elissa knew that if she continued down this path, she'd be playing with fire. Looking down at her carefully bandaged hands, Elissa couldn't quite place what his play was. She could bet her entire company on the fact that he hadn't done anything unsavory to her while she was unconscious but something still felt somewhat off about him. That kind of... curtesy was unexpected by Elissa, he was a strange bird indeed. 

She let out a short sigh and put the thought in the back of her mind. A clouded brain may not be the best gauge of what's going on but she knew one thing: he is not by any means an ordinary man. Turning to walk away, her heels were firmly secured onto her feet and her stride was back to its usual poise. 

Thankfully it was still early so Elissa hadn't bumped into anyone yet in the building when she made her way to the elevator. She had a feeling, however, that the streets won't be so similar for very long. Gotham was, after all, a large metropolitan area and depending where exactly in the city she was, there could be a decent amount of people returning home from a overly indulgent night on the town. With that in mind, Elissa had to find an inconspicuous way back to her penthouse without being seen, and more problematic, being photographed.

Opening her clutch, she saw that her phone and the flash drive were still there along with the rest of her things. Elissa didn't peg him for a thief but honestly she wasn't quite sure what to categorize J as.

Even using his first name seemed a bit too familiar at the moment despite the fact that she was wearing essentially nothing but his shirt. Not wanting to leave anything up for additional interpretation, Elissa took the liberty of buttoning up the dress shirt all the way; she felt there had been enough unwanted exposure to last her the rest of her life. Thankfully, her petite stature made the article of clothing look more like a loose dress coming to the middle of her thighs instead of the slightly more scandalous reality. But she knew it was for the best if she made it back to her apartment as fast as possible.

Looking through her phone, Elissa debated calling a car service but there would still be a wait and if by some luck she managed to evade being seen, there was no guarantee of the driver not running to the nearest tabloid and trading in a hefty sum for the story. Lack of anonymity was becoming more of an additional challenge than the young woman thought. Elissa was missing being in the shadows more and more as she tried to reevaluate her options. When the elevator arrived on the ground floor, she found a grey suited man waiting in the lobby.

"Scuse me, miss. My employer thought you might need a ride back to your place of residence."

Her eyes met his, unwavering in both their observation and their hold. He was older, perhaps older than J but Elissa couldn't be quite sure on J's age to accurately make that comparison. The man standing before her was more stoic and surprisingly fairly formal as well; not a hair out of place. The offer was tempting but something she couldn't accept.

As much as Elissa wanted to feed her curiosity and find out more about J, the risk was ultimately not worth the possible reward. Another reason that rang in her mind was that if she accepted, she would run the risk of making things...personal. Granted waking up in his bed wearing his clothes already dug her into a fairly deep grave but Elissa still did not like the idea of adding more variables into the chaos. Besides she wasn't the type of person who liked to owe someone, especially when there was already good deal she had to repay. Shaking her head, she politely declined the offer and decided on hailing for a cab instead.

"Thank you for the offer but I couldn't impose any further. Give Ja-Mr. J my regards." Elissa told the driver and gave a slight bow out of habit.

The man simply shrugged and nodded.

"Here."

He handed her a black business card as she was about to leave the lobby. Taking it from his hand, she scanned it and cracked a small smile. Another habit of hers; at the oddest of situations, Elissa couldn't help smiling when something catches her off guard. He certainly was a brazen fellow that much was clear.

A taxi quickly stopped in front of the hotel to pick her up. The cabbie didn't pay her much thought, Elissa was simply another patron to the old man. Something in her favor thankfully in one very messy night followed by a morning she just wanted to put behind her. After giving the directions, Elissa took out the business card J's associate gave her and looked it over again. It wasn't anything too crazy: decent quality paper and an unassuming font. Just his name and number inscribed on the front.

Twirling the card between her thoughtfully dressed fingers, Elissa unconsciously smiled again. An interesting individual...in his own way.

-

Back at the hotel

(Unspecified, Midtown Gotham) 

"Yeah, boss. You were right, she said no to a ride back to her place. I gave her the card like you said."

He stood outside the bedroom waiting, talking through the door. He knew the drill by now - never go in uninvited. He understood his role better than most. Never asking unnecessary questions, always getting the job done. It was probably how he lasted as long as he did.

That aside, however, he couldn't help wondering about the woman. She was fairly young from what he could tell but she was a looker, that much was obvious, and despite the whole situation the girl was classy. Classier than most in this city but there was something else about her that made him want to step back. That stare she gave him. Something about it gave him sent a chill down his spine, he tried to brush it off as a coincidence but there was no use lying about it.

What he felt was fear; pure and simple. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who are reading my story, apologies for the delay on this chapter. To be honest, this way going to be a fairly different chapter than what it became and I ended up rewriting it completely. Hope you like it.


	13. Different Creatures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A wounded bird tends to her injuries and fends off a bat. Trauma is revisited and parts of a hidden past are revealed.

Entering her apartment, Elissa stretched her bruised limbs as she shut the door behind her sore back. The night had not been kind to her and for all of her skill, bodies still bruise and the human form is far from indestructible. Pain; a person can be trained to ignore but fatigue mixed in with a system that had been poisoned aren't something one can walk away from so easily.

Not bothering to turn on the lights, Elissa reached down to unlace and remove her shoes, giving her feet a small bit of relief. Leaving her heels on the floor, she entered her kitchen and placed a kettle on the stove.

As Elissa finished preparing a tea set, she turned to her phone while she waited for the water to boil. Checking her emails, the young woman finally spoke out to her visitor.

"Tea's almost done. You can step out of the dark and join me if you like."

Walking out of the shadows was none other than the Caped Crusader and beneath the cowl was a look that gave little away and would have made a lesser heart quake in their boots. Elissa stood there, leaning against the kitchen counter, unafraid and too tired to try to decipher what his scowl meant. 

"You're injured and just arriving back to your home now. You're being reckless, Elissa."

Setting the tray down on her small circular dining table, the girl poured a cup of tea for herself. Not taking a seat at the table, Elissa leaned against the wall, placing herself right across from Bruce. Her back against the wall but undaunted by the person who stands before her. Pausing to take a sip of the freshly brewed oolong, she finally met his critical gaze and responded back.

"Lecturing me over how I spend my nights are hardly your concern, Bruce. And frankly hypocritical."

"What you are doing isn't safe and placing yourself in danger for whatever reason is-"

Before he could say anymore, Elissa cut him off.

"You are not my guardian, Bruce. I am not some wayward soul for you to foster. If you're here to scold me for breaking into the Batcave or about how I spend my time, save it."

"I'm here in Gotham to settle some things alone and, respectfully, I've made it clear that if I wanted your help I would have asked for it." Elissa continued.

"And know that if you become a threat, I will stop you."

"Is that a promise?" she spoke out to the room. 

He had already left after issuing his proclamation. The Bat had said what he needed to, nothing else was left. Batman was all business and Elissa was...something that couldn't be categorized at the moment. She was currently neither an outward villain or a true hero. The young woman was dangerous, to say the least, but Bruce was yet to uncover the real aim of her returning to Gotham.

Her smokescreen worked: a brazen attitude to stop his further digging into why she really hacked into the Batcave's system. Her real intentions were still a mystery for Batman but the groundwork of the plans have been laid and in the end, the way he sees her won't matter.

After all, her intentions are selfish at heart. What would be the point of trying to step into the light now?

Elissa set aside her teacup and began to unbutton her borrowed shirt. After carefully placing the garment on the chair she was sitting in, Elissa stretched her weary limbs and back and began to start her regiment so she could still physically function.Taking ice from her freezer, well-stocked for such an occasion and prepared an ice bath to soothe her worn body.

Before she entered the tub, she had caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Splotches of blue and purple had blended with her porcelain skin creating a canvas of hues melding together; a familiar image that the young woman seen before. Years of training and combat had led to quite a collection of wounds and scars on her body but the most distinctive were the ones on her back.

Over the years she had become quite talented at hiding her inflicted deformities after leaving Nanda Parbat. There Elissa's scars were something overlooked by those of whom had been capable enough to train alongside her. Despite the severity of that place, her scars were something that those hardened and experienced by the cruelties of the world even shied away from looking at.

For even they, who had iron in their veins, could not stand to look at such a young child with lashes on her back. Elissa merely saw them as a fragment of a past she could never forget and a promise. Never again will Elissa be helpless as the girl she was before...

She stepped into the ice filled bathtub, the cold had barely phased her, and immersed herself in the water. Her mind was racing through her brain, thinking, planning, remembering what had to be done. 

-

_"Who will have you after I am done with you?"_

_So much blood and the pain...It burned. Her back was ripped open, she could feel the lashes dripping blood and her throat burning from holding in her cries._

_He wasn't done._

_He wasn't done._

_'Someone help me. Please-'_

_No one is coming._

_No more..._

_So much blood...but it wasn't just hers anymore. And then there was fire and the screams of monsters burning alive-_

_They came too late..._

_She's still ruined...damaged._

_-_

Pulling her body up, Elissa gasped for air as she sat up in the tub. Leaning back against the sloped porcelain, she pulled her legs against her and thought of Bruce's words.

 _'I'm not like you Bruce. We're different creatures, you and I.'_ Elissa thought to herself.

Perhaps in a different life in another universe, she could have been a person who stood in the light alongside the heroes but this was no such place where redemption was possible.

Elissa had been so lost in her own thoughts that she failed to notice that yet another set of eyes were on her; watching her. 


	14. Voyers, Jesters, and Ash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our main character walks into a trap and more than one viper has come forward to surround her.

Gotham Docks: Pier 52

* * *

 

Gotham was a hotbed of criminal activity from the typical petty theft to the more out there explosive bank robberies and terrorist attacks done by crime lords and supervillains alike. It was no surprise to find filth lurking in Gotham's waters as well as her streets.

It was past midnight and Elissa had been scoping the area since eleven, waiting for a specific ship to bring a very important freight to pier. Another puzzle for her to find and put into place: she, after all, was playing a long game. 

The young woman was on the rooftop of an old, abandoned fishery building that had been a fairly modest employer for blue-collared Gothamites before the recession had hit the city. The paint was a faded robin's egg blue and the structure was on its last legs but it was a prime vantage point for Elissa to monitor which ships were entering the dock.

Suited in her form-fitting black outfit that consisted of her (a)typical kevlar infused bodice that looked more like a corset than combat gear, but it had kept her safe from the usual bullets, swords, knives, and occasional flying arrows. Paired with her matching black leggings, boots, and gloves, Elissa felt the most like herself in her protective armor. Her black gloves went up to just below her elbow to not only protect her arms but also keep her more prominent tattoos hidden when Elissa was on missions. 

With her mask covering the lower half of her face and her weapons in hand, she was ready for anything.

Or so she thought.

The air was thick with salt and summer heat. On her perch, Elissa had taken off her jacket to cool down. She hated the summers and rising temperatures that came with the season. And despite her time in Nanda Parbat, it did nothing to help her get over her abhorrence to the heat.

The breeze was her only salvation as it cooled her skin when it gently brushed her face. Her long hair blew in the wind as the girl listened to the sounds of the city and she steeled herself. She had let her raven hair go loose; to cool herself and feel the wind.

Lightly touching the back of her neck with her gloved fingers, she could almost see the tattoo forever etched into her skin. The permanent brand that marked her and reminded her of her months of captivity. The physical and psychological abuse dealt to her as she was shackled after being taken... Even without the constant reminder carved upon her skin, Elissa would never be able to forget how exactly she got those lashes on her back.

In blood red, a design that someone who led a life of utter normalcy would never guess to be a sigil of ownership. It forever marked her as property; a possession to be bought and sold to vile men for their twisted amusement. Elissa, however, never was sold.

For how could a slave be purchased when the auction house burned to ground?

That sound echoing inside her mind and her brain trying to push away the bad memories but Elissa could never forget.

-

_Elissa gripped the restraints as her nails dug into her hands. She tried to use the pain to distract herself from agony of what was happening to her..._

_Her stubbornness and her will were what kept him from hearing her cries._

_Elissa wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her misery._

_Her hands dug into her restraints as he ripped her back open._

_Her screams burned in her throat as they never left her mouth._

_So much blood..._

_She wouldn't let them win; wouldn't let him win._

_-_  

Elissa locked her thoughts away again. Those ghost always find a way out but for the moment, she could keep them at bay.

She wasn't afraid or scared but Elissa felt a pit in her stomach that she tried to ignore. After all, she had gone on missions far more dangerous than a simple infiltration and securement. 

This was supposed to be the night that she planned for; the night that she spent all of the others up scanning files and manifests on her hardwood floors for. It was going to be the night where she was going to be that much closer to obtaining that goal. 

But intuition is a powerful thing. Denial, however, can often be stronger. 

As she waited for the shipment to arrive, Elissa smiled to herself behind the mask that hid it from the rest of the world. Not looking back, she spoke out as she stretched her arms and shoulders above her head.

"You're either exceptionally bold or a terrible listener, Boy Wonder."

Stepping forward, Robin looked at the masked woman with suspicion. Behind his domino mask, his blue eyes studied the strange woman who seemed to pay him little attention as she continued to keep watch of the piers. Like her, Dick was suited 

"Aves."

Usually when he tracks another person, he or she never suspects that they are being watched but this person- she knew without giving away anything. He had been trying dig up information about her for quite some time now and the results were, to say the least, frustrating.

"Believe it or not, but I wasn't following you tonight. I'm simply just making the rounds on my patrols." Robin told her truthfully.

He couldn't find anything viable on who she was or why she was in Gotham; only whispers of rumors with no real origin.

From what he could tell, Aves is highly trained, skilled in combat and espionage, and dangerous. But that was sparse and Robin knew it. It was bad enough that she not only knows who he is but the fact that Bruce didn't seemed phased by her knowledge of their identities only fueled his curiosity of this stranger. Her also besting him twice in combat simply added gasoline to the fire in his mind. Robin wasn't the type to give up and she was, currently, a very unusual enigma to him.

She looked over her shoulder at the broad shouldered vigilante for a moment and held eye contact with him just long enough to make him uncomfortable before looking back at the docks.

"Oh, I know. I heard your nimble feet land on the other building twenty minutes ago. Batman must be out of town for you to be this direct." Elissa said as she watched a freight being taken from a ship.

"Just wanted to ask if you needed some assistance from one masked individual to another..."

 _'Or to keep an eye on me as you try to figure out who I am and what I'm doing here...'_ Elissa thought to herself.

"I am not some helpless princess in need of saving, Robin. You should go back to your patrols." Elissa said as she picks up her jacket and slips it on again.

Before Robin could respond, Elissa jumped down to the ground and made her way to the men unloading the massive shipping container.

Taking down the first few silently on the fringes of the group, she walked forward to the last three in the group of five men who wielded assault rifles to guard the cargo. Elissa quietly snuck up to the men as they took their time opening the massive metal crate. She could hear them complaining as they very slowly did they jobs.

"We're not getting paid enough to be out here unloading this crap." One of the men complained. From his accent, Elissa figured him to be local muscle used to do the grunt work.

"Oh, shut up Tommy and get back to work. The less you flap your mouth, the faster we can get out of here." The bigger of the two said gruffly.

"Yeah, listen to Bobby and hurry the hell up and help us. I don't want to run into the Bat or his little sidekick, the bird, tonight." The tall one complained as he held his rifle tighter.

"I prefer partner, not sidekick." 

The three men quickly swerved around and saw Robin standing behind them, holding his metal staff. Before one of thugs could aim his gun at Robin, Elissa jumped in and took him down with a kick into his side, making him drop the rifle. Swiftly following the kick with a headlock using her legs, she knocked out the man and got back on her feet to fight the other two.

Robin had taken down the guy the others called Tommy when Elissa subdued the one who had his hand on the trigger and smiled at Elissa sheepishly as she glared at him.

"Really?! You could have been shot! I had them where I wanted them before you barged in!" Elissa said angrily as the two of them cornered the last one; the biggest one.

"Oh, c'mon Aves. I couldn't let you have all the fun." He said smiling at her as Elissa glared at him.

"You should have minded your own business and stayed out of it!" She said as they looked at one another.

Elissa then gripped his arm as he spun and lifted her for a stronger impact as she kicked the massive man who was built like an ox. The kick had enough force and velocity that the giant fell over and was knocked unconscious.

They made a pretty good team, Elissa thought. But she was still angry at Robin for his recklessness and for his smile that Elissa would sooner die than say it out loud, much less than tell Robin.

As they finished tying up the goons for the police to arrest, Robin spoke again.

"Now since I helped you with these guys, can you tell what's so important about this shipment for you to have been staking this place out on a Sunday night. Or is this how you like to enjoy your weekends?" He said cheekily, smiling that ridiculous smile of his.

Elissa rolled her eyes.

"Fine, I'll tell you. After I check what's inside; I'll fill you in, Boy Wonder." She said as she walked over to the freight. 

-

When she opened the shipping container, Elissa expected the silence but the moment that stench hit her nose she knew something was very wrong.

Telling Robin to stay outside with the unconscious goons, Elissa slowly entered the metal crate with a flashlight. She immediately saw the display left for her to witness. The floor was covered with the decaying bodies of young girls, some younger than Elissa, bloodied and warped by death. The rotted miasma of the shipping container was near suffocating but Elissa saw something further inside the crate that made her continue deeper in.

An ornate metal hair pin was placed in the center of the horrifically calculated arrangement of scattered bodies beaten beyond recognition. The very hair pin that Elissa had used to kill the man who defiled and mutilated her.

She walked to the center, ignoring Robin's questions- too fixated on the silver piece of metal and jewelry that was placed so boldly on a single black wooden pedestal. The air was stale and reeked of death, but the horror of why that trinket didn't burn and melt to nothing years ago had caused everything to slip away.

Yanking the pin away from the table, Elissa soon heard a familiar ticking. 

 _'Damnit.'_  

Kicking the table over, she saw the wooden box beneath it where the noise was coming from. Elissa silently cursed herself; she should've been more careful. Taking the hairpin in hand, she turned and ran for the exit.

Elissa pushed Robin, who had followed her inside, out just in time but the two of them still felt a fair amount of the overpressure caused by the explosion. They were both knocked flat on the ground from the blast. She saw Robin beside her; he was laying there unconscious - knocked out by the shock wave that the bomb had produced. Elissa groaned as she tried to crawl closer to him but she could barely move. 

Her vision began to blur and her surrounding began to spin due to the vertigo. Elissa's ears had also begun to ring as a result of being to close to the detonation that she didn't hear footsteps coming closer to the two of them.

As she tried to look up, all she could see was bright green.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy the extra long chapter and the fight sequences. I'll post another one soon.  
> Your (not so) friendly neighborhood author.  
> P.S. Was the rival comic book franchise reference too much?


	15. In the Pale Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter begins right after the explosion. Returning characters reenter the scene and cause a little chaos...

Downtown Gotham

Roof of [Unspecified] tenant building on Main Street

* * *

 

As Elissa regained consciousness, she remembered seeing flashes of a smile and strong arms around her, but she had no recollection of how she ended up on a roof top. She didn't trust whatever she saw or felt after the explosion chalking it up to possible delirium caused from losing consciousness from concussive wounds dealt to her from the blast.

A stranger's caress, lightly touching her face with strong fingers- callused but gently holding her. They gripped her tightly, in such as way that seemed to not want to release her. As if he thought that she would disappear if he did not hold her tightly in his arms. There was an obvious danger that she had felt but there was also an odd sense of security that Elissa had felt when she was unconscious. Tracing where his hands had been, she touched her arms lightly- as if Elissa was trying to wake any memories her body hid.

The last clear thought she had of what happened was that she had pushed Robin away from the discharge and Elissa had seen him beside her, unconscious. Groaning as she sat up, she heard the traffic beneath her. Elissa made it to the edge and looked down to regain her bearings; she had been moved to a roof in downtown Gotham.

Gripping the edge of the roof to steel herself and push past the injuries inflicted by her would be killers, Elissa tried to focus her mind and her vision. She forced both her legs and her eyes, which were still blurry from the effects of the explosion.

Touching her neck and face to check to see if her mask was still on, Elissa sighed in short relief, foolishly hoping that since it wasn't taken off, maybe whoever moved her didn't see who she was. But she wasn't that naive and far too smart to be stupid enough to believe she was safe.

What had happened to her to end up here?

Who carried her here and why?

Elissa grew concerned: what had happened after she passed out.

Something inside of her cracked and the fear that she buried deep within herself years ago had come to the surface.

Checking the time, she looked into the cityscape to find a clock from her vantage point. Luckily for her, the booming city was never in lack of clocks in its visage. The girl saw that it was only half past one... She’d been out for an hour- hour and a half, at most. But that lost time concerned her.

Almost as much as the hair pin that was set right beside her. Glimmering red in the light, its dark gemstones catching the moonlight as Elissa studied it with loathing. If she had even a fraction of a percentage less self-control, she would have thrown it away, destroyed it- turned it to dust. But she did not. Instead she gripped the accessory tightly in her hand as the used her other hand to punch the concrete.

Taking a deep breath, the young woman tried to quiet her racing mind.

For the first time in a long time, Elissa felt afraid.

A chill ran down her spine as she look out into the city...all these people living their mundane lives blissfully unaware that she had brought a war to Gotham. The chaos that began with that crate- because of her digging, will most likely be the end of her.

Well, she wanted answers, Elissa thought. Now they will be coming for her and those dark shadows made it clear they want her dead.

-

Gotham Docks: Pier 52

Approximately an hour earlier...

 

Frost had dumped Robin’s unconscious body into the river and turned around to follow his boss to the car. He did what he was told, no questions asked - this was one of the reasons he had stayed alive while being under Joker’s command. It was best not to question the boss, he learned that lesson quickly, which was why he lasted so long in his service.

Men like the Joker were wild cards - that is to say there are no other men like the Joker. He was a singular piece of work that pulled you in and spat you out when you lost your usefulness - Jonny knew that, which was why he kept useful.

After all, Frost knew better than to question the wishes of a madman.

-

The Joker had found her there, laying on the ground as a massive crate continued to burn in the background. Her small, lithe body besieged on the ground like a sleeping princess. Thought she was anything from delicate despite her deceptive appearance. The Joker had gathered that much from their first meeting. She was utterly vicious and volatile. What drew him in further was that fact that she was holding back and he wanted to know why. This woman was utterly dangerous and the Joker quickly became obsessed; what fun they could have together...

Ignoring Robin, he lifted Elissa up and carried her to the car.

He told Frost to dispose of the “Bird Brat” by throwing him into Gotham bay, not even looking at the injured young man. He was too focused on Elissa, her serene face shining in the moonlight. She looked almost angelic as the Joker held her in his arms securely, her face rested against his chest.

It was purely coincidence that they had much in such a situation as this, he had come down to the docks for a “business” deal that he wanted to settle and it ultimately led to an agreement ended with lead. When he and Frost were finished, they were about to leave but something peaked his interest. Joker had heard the explosion and went to see what had happened, only to find her again.

Joker smiled a mad grin as he looked down and gently placed her in the back seat of his car. As Frost drove the car downtown, the Joker, who had taken his spot beside Elissa, studied her intently.

Pensively thinking as he brushed a few strands of stray hair away from Elissa’s covered face, the Joker came to his decision.

It was a captivating sight- the beautiful woman right beside him, and so vulnerable, she was utterly at his mercy. Any other sane man would take the opportunity to do something...pervasive, but the Joker did no such thing. He was many things; sane or average, however, was not one of those things.

He was not a common man, so he simply did nothing to her but carry her to safety. After all, this woman did save him. Foolishly...infuriatingly, this person pushed her from a exploding building and saved his life; a perfect stranger. 

A madman who now, for some unknown reason, returning the favor to this masked stranger. This girl..this woman was absolutely maddening. The Joker thought to himself as he began to laugh out loud during the previously ominously quiet car ride back to his warehouse.

Frost simply looked ahead at the road and continued to drive.

-

As the police arrived to the scene, they came upon a curious sight- the Dark Knight's protégé standing in front of a burning metal freight dripping wet. The beat cops who had been the first to arrive onto the scene weren't entirely sure what to do- whether they should help him or arrest him.

After all, vigilantism was still technically a crime. Before the two stupefied officers could decide the commissioner arrived onto the location.

Newly minted and still full of hope and principles, Commissioner Jim Gordon walked over to talk to the young man. He wanted to know what in God's name had just arrived onto Gotham's shores...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: The title of this chapter is actually a little Easter egg from the 1989 Batman movie, it's a good movie and worth a watch. Though not my favorite take on the Joker's past and how he came to be but none the less a fairly good movie. If any readers know the quote I'm referring to, please feel free to comment. I love to hear from you. Until next time (:


	16. Dance with the Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tempers flare as the literal embers cool. Elissa is conflicted and utterly confused. Emotions run high and answers are demanded by the peculiar youths of Gotham.

As she placed the bejeweled hairpin in her utility belt, strapped onto her right leg with a side bag, Elissa found another clue. A literal calling card from her temporary captor.

Whoever moved her wanted Elissa to know or find out who he was...

The non-descript playing card was just a red Queen of Hearts with another card glued on the back. It had been tucked away with her knives, carefully positioned where she could easily discover it. It seemed to be from a generic deck of cards that could have been bought at anywhere. 

But Elissa still had a pretty good idea of who exactly put this card in her belt's compartment.

As the girl examined the perplexing item between her fingers, there was a seed of doubt and curiosity burrowing deep within her mind. Elissa held the card for a moment too long; allowing her mind to wander- to be pulled into that winding road no sane person should go down...

Fixating on the mystery of it all and the person- the man who held her and carried her at a time when she was utterly helpless. The flurry of emotions she felt in that moment was indescribable.

Whoever had her, took her away from the danger and let her go. With no strings attached or reason given... She knew there had to be an ulterior motive. 

Snapping back into focus, Elissa pulled her jacked closer to her body and hoped that this night would not get worse for her. When she examined her surroundings again; the young woman was given her answer. It was going to be a long night ahead of her.

As she looked around; Elissa cursed under her breath as she didn't see Robin anywhere to be found on the rooftop. If he wasn't moved with her; the alternatives that burst through her mind made her worried...

The girl of eighteen had learned to be cynical about these sort of things. Life had taught her not have false hope. After all, it was better to expect the worst than hope for the best and discover that that hope was misplaced. Elissa tried to push away the dread as she remotely called for her motorcycle on her holo-screen wristwatch.

Crowne Trust's Science and Technology Division was at the forefront of scientific advancement and research- meaning Elissa had the best tech available to test out. And usually Elissa would baffle the top engineering minds around the world with her detailed, and somehow casual, suggestions for improvements in even the most cutting edge R&D projects.

Elissa could have simply hacked the street cameras at the pier, but she wanted to got there herself. Expecting the worst, she was delaying the possible discovery that she didn't want to witness..

Heading back to the docks to try to find him, Elissa hoped that she wouldn't find him dead...

- 

"And here I thought you didn't care for me" He said jokingly.

His hair was sticking to the sides of his forehead and he was grasping the right side of his abdomen. Elissa was able to save his from most of the blast, taking the brunt of it but he was still injured and his little 'swim' did not help matters. He still felt the blast and because of his less tragic background than Elissa's, he was not adept to pushing away the pain that was dealt to both of them.

To Elissa, the blast did little to her...physically at least. Her mental turmoil was something, however, she rather not admit to. Even to herself.

Elissa seethed as she physically pushed Robin away from her.

The city seemed almost silent in the wake of her fury, Dick was only able to hear her. Her anger- the look in her eyes was indescribable; he could see nothing else. Only the furious masked woman who, despite her lack of height, seemed to tower over him with such an anger that made the Boy Wonder speechless.

She wasn't able to contain her emotions anymore.

“You foolish little boy! You could’ve gotten yourself killed!” Elissa shouted at him and pushed Robin away by his chest.

He was still soaked from being dumped in the river but the look of shock on his face was clear on his face.

Speechless, he simply listened as Elissa continued to speak, past the seething anger and undertones of fear she felt. She wasn’t going to allow another innocent person to be killed because of her…

Not again. Never again.

“You have no idea what you stepped into when you decided to follow me and stick your nose into my business!”

“I-“ Robin tried to speak.

“No! You don’t get to talk.” She cut him off as she turned away from him and gripped the edge of the roof.

Her hands gripped the metal tightly beneath her black gloves that one would think the hard surface would give under the pressure at any moment.

“You relinquished the right the moment you followed me into that godforsaken crate! This is not a discussion, this is you simply listening and understanding what the hell you were trying to figure out.”

Taking a deep breath, Elissa centered herself and continued.

“I was investigating an organization that lurks beyond the shadows you reside in- past the pockets of light you have the privilege of walking in are people- monsters that would make some of the two-bit criminals repent their crimes and weep for mercy. This group is extremely dangerous as you have come to witness and this act was simply just a message, directed to me. Before you think you could find anything on them or work to take them down, understand that this group is only seen by those who are allowed to know of its existence or those that will die before speaking a word of what they are. Stay away from this; it's above your skill level.”

Turning around, the woman moved toward the young man- taking him by surprise, yet again. Elissa gripped the collar of his cape and pulled him toward her. She needed him to understand and stay away. She pulled him just enough that it would hurt a bit but not enough to really injure him.

The young woman had spat out her last words with as much contained fury as she could muster without becoming violent toward him.

“Go back to playing hero in the sun and leave those of us in the muck try to get rid of the filth you can’t touch alone.”

Pushing him away, Aves swung away using her grapple gun. Robin was left back. Alone on that roof, the young hero pondered what she had shouted at him. Aves left him simply standing there; dumbfounded and with more questions than before.

-

Robin headed back to the Batcave on his personally modified motorcycle zooming through the city. He replaying her words in his mind as the young man sped past the still-busy streets of Gotham City and toward the quiet grounds of Wayne Manor.

As he entered the cave, Robin heard the fluttering wings of the bats that resided in the massive underground chamber. Aside from the bats, the massive subterranean hideout was eerily silent. He knew however that Batman was back as the Batmobile was already parked next to the Batwing and the various other vehicles owned by both Batman and Robin.

Robin saw Bruce sitting behind the supercomputer. He was reading over the police report of the incident that had just occurred at the docks a few hours ago. Taking off his domino mask, Dick Grayson silently walked toward his stoic mentor. He needed answers from Bruce- about her.

He needed to know.

Remotely accessing the computer from his holographic display built into his gloves, Robin closed the monitor without any warning.

“We need to talk.” Robin said with a seriousness that surprised even Bruce.

 


	17. Folie à deux: Madness Shared by Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A male perspective of the night that ended with a dock explosion.

Hotel in a(n) (undisclosed) area of Gotham

Penthouse suite 

* * *

With a stiff drink in hand, the Joker gazed at his view of the Gotham skyline separated by a pane of glass. He pressed his pale forehead on the cool glass and looked down to see the dark and dangerous city beneath his feet. 

It was a place of so many twisted possibilities. A city that was so chaotic and broken; he seemed to be made to match it. The clown prince of crime had made it his mission to make take the city and give Gotham a show she would never forget. And he was just getting started. After all, the Joker might've just found a partner of sorts for the show he had plans.

It had started to become the same game with the same players- after a while even a stint in Arkham became a bore. But that soon changed. It was a complicated thing; how a single introduction of a new character could change everything. The whole city was buzzing, he could feel it in his bones.

His mind raced as his body was still, coiled like a snake ready to strike. He could barely make sense of manic thoughts scrambling to be in the center of his consciousness. 

A newcomer had entered to play and disrupted the entire board. It all started because that impulsive moment; centered upon that woman. Who was mad enough to pull him away from an explosive, bloody end.

_Her._

Such an odd and unexpected obsession the Joker had gained that night. Groaning to himself as he heard a mental static in his skull; his new obsession had lead him to chase and he was growing bloodthirsty.

That woman...

Simply having her literally within reach was maddening. Her soft, lithe body in his arms. It was as if she simply was made to be encompassed by them.

He needed to have her; in every sense of the phrase. 

Her jet black hair shone in the moonlight as he held her securely in his grasp. Even covered with soot and blood, the woman still looked ethereal to him. The man couldn't stop himself from pulling down her mask, which covered her rosy lips and blushed cheeks.

Such turmoil was on her slumbering face. He couldn't help being utterly fascinated by her, after all not many would save  _him_ of all people. His interest in her was frustrating. Maddening, even, which is never boded good when it comes to him. But her utter disregard for herself in saving him and the Bat brat was compelling and her beauty only added to the wonder.

What pulled him in completely to his pursuit was that melancholy in her eyes and the strange connection he felt with this beautiful, vexing creature.

Part of him wanted to perhaps kill her. She was, after all, a distraction from his plans. Another, the larger part of his mind, sought an almost desperate need to have her. Protect her, even. Rationality when it came to her had no explanation or reasoning. He simply acted on his aim of having her.

An angel in the grasp of a madman who rescued her... The irony was not lost on him. To just escape danger to fall into the arms of someone as precarious as him. A criminal with enough charges to put justice on a standstill saving a a masked vigilante. If he wasn't already certifiably insane, he'd think he was going crazy.

At that moment, she was ready for the taking but that wasn't his style... She needed to come willingly- and she will.

Soon.

With her skin as pale as porcelain and as smooth as marble; the girl he held was a tempting sight. Utterly enrapturing and lethal, like a sweet drug that causes addiction after the first taste; she had to be his.

He wanted her to call him hers as well; a shocking realization that he confessed to himself. A dangerous beauty which he had become utterly fixated by her.

From the first.

It wasn't just her body he wanted. It was everything; body and soul. A declaration that had to be made willingly- never to be broken.

Though, the image of her beneath him was a tantalizing thought that only added to his need to have her.

Those storm-driven eyes widening as his touch began to push her to the edge of bliss.

Skin pressed upon skin... 

The two of them in bed together. Him between her lithe legs tightly wound around his waist as the man prepared her for him. He skillfully made her say his name over and over again. Nails scratching his back as sweat dripped from his face and her mouth open with ecstasy. She would need him as much as he needed her in that moment.

He held back his impulses in that moment however and simply relocated her away from the damage and the docks. Leaving her on a rooftop, he went on his way. But not before leaving a little farewell gift.

'She needed to chase too. After all, it would only be fair.'

He wanted to have some fun while he waited for the game to reach its apex. The Joker wanted a conscious participate for what he had planned after all.

Hearing the soft knock on the door, he turned around to see Frost waiting for him. Placing his blood-soaked glass down on a nearby counter, the Joker followed his second-hand into the adjoining windowless room to the mark tied to chair. He was still breathing.

Grabbing the bottle of liquor on the table next to him, the green-haired man poured the bottle on the barely conscious man's hair. The alcohol startled the poor man awake as the Joker leaned in closer, his straight razor in hand.

As the man began to whimper and shake, the Joker rolled his eyes. After a few hours, the responses began to repeat and become boring.

Groaning, the Joker grabbed the beaten man's bloody face and smiled a vicious grin.

"Well, well... Where were we?"

 


End file.
